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MOD SAIT itATH

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plus tips for leaders

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Each month a different

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Contents

Promises of Power

Program for Progress

The Ministry of Remembrance

Eyewitness of Majesty

The Voice of Prophecy

Beware of False Teachers

Contrasting Fates

Unfruitful and Dangerous

Reminders and Warnings

10.

God's Timetable

11.

"What Manner of Persons?"

12.

"Put You in Remembrance"

13.

Ideals for Christians

The Adult Sabbath School Lessons are prepared by the Sabbath Sthool Depart-

ment of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The preparation of

the lessons is under the general direction of a worldwide Sabbath School Lesson

Committee, the members of which serve as consulting editors. The published les-

son quarterly reflects the input of the committee and thus does not solely or neces-

sarily represent the intent of the author.

Editorial Offices: 6840 Eastern Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20012

Lesson Author: Bernard E. Seton

Editor: Leo R. Van Dolson

Editorial Secretary: Florence L. Wetmore

Marketing: Bob Kyte

Sales Office: Shirley Sayers

Art and Design: Pacific Press

Scripture references other than from the King James Version quoted by permission in this quarterly are as

follows:

Jerusalem. From

The Jerusalem Bible,

& Company, Inc. Used by permission.

Moffatt.

From

The Bible: A New Translation

by James Moffatt. Copyright by James Moffatt 1954. Used by

permission of Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc.

NASB. From

The New American Standard Bible,

1975. Used by permission.

NEB. From

The New English Bible,

Syndics of the Cambridge University Press, 1961, 1970.

NIV. From

The New International Version,

Used by permission.

Phillips.

From

The New Testament in Modern English,

J. B. Phillips. Used by permission of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., New York.

RSV. From the

Revised Standard Version,

Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and used by permission.

1EV. From the

Good News Bible,

Weymouth. From

The New Testament in Modern Speech

by Richard Francis Weymouth, copyright

Harper & Row, Publishers, New York 1917.

Adult Sabbath. School Lessons (standard edition). (USPS 702-480). Published

quarterly by Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1350 North Kings Road,

Nampa, ID 83653, U.S.A. One year subscription in U.S.A., $3.75; single copy, 95

cents. One year subscription to countries outside U.S.A., $5.25; single copy,

$1.55. All prices at U.S.A. exchange. Second-class postage paid at Nampa, ID.

When a change of address is desired, please send both old and new addresses.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Adult Sabbath School Lessons (stan-

dard edition), P.

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Editions in Braille available. See page 98.

Adult Sabbath School Lessons (USPS 702-480) / No. 362 October-December 1985

Your Generosity

Helped Build A

Main classroom block of boarding High School at Papeete, Tahiti. This school was officially opened

in 1984. This project received $US300,976 in the 1st Quarter of 1983. Photo Credit: R.C. Swendson.

That's right. The special projects portion ($300,976) of your Thirteenth Sabbath

Offering, First Quarter, 1983, helped erect a new classroom building for the

boarding high school in Papeete, Tahiti. The school opened officially last year.

This quarter the South Pacific Division (for-

merly Australasian Division) presents some

exciting and important special projects:

•

A youth and evangelistic center

(Solomon Islands).

•

A new elementary school and an

evangelistic youth center (Vanuatu—

formerly New Hebrides).

•

Medical clinics and lamb shelters

(East Solomon Islands).

The "lambs" shown here have no Sabbath

School room. This is all right on sunny days.

But rain falls heavily and unexpectedly in

the Solomon Islands.

Please give generously this

Thirteenth Sab-

bath

and all quarter long so that all of these

important projects can be achieved.

My Personal

Giving Plan

Our Mission— The Gape! to the Wbrld

Three Sabbath School members representative of the

three major areas of the Solomon Islands. The boy is

from Eastern Solomons, the girl in the center from

Malaita and the girl on the right from Western Solomons.

Photo credit: R.V. Moe.

Introduction to Second Peter

fooa

Chr315tian§

The apostle Peter is the author of both the first and second

epistles that bear his name. The recipients of the second let-

ter are, in general, identical to those of the first, namely, Chris-

tians in Asia Minor or in the country now known as Thrkey.

The apostle knows and loves the congregations to whom he

writes. As with his first letter, the theme of the second epistle

is pastoral, but its purpose is different. Peter acknowledges

that his readers have been grounded in the faith but is anx-

ious for them to grow in the principal Christian virtues (chapter

1). Aware that false teachers have been unsettling the believ-

ers, he uses forceful language to warn against the troublemak-

ers' wiles (chapter 2). He presents the hope of Christ's return

as the bulwark against skepticism and apostasy, and urges his

readers so to live that they may be found blameless at their

Lord's appearing (chapter 3).

SECOND PETER OUTLINED

Chapter

Exhortation

Summary

Grace and knowledge

"Grow up"

Warning

"Watch out"

Anticipation

"Look up"

Information About the Writer of

This Quarter's Lessons

Although now retired, Bernard E. Seton has held a wide variety of po-

sitions during his forty-three years of denominational work. Among these

positions are: editor at the Sentinel Publishing Company in Cape Town,

South Africa; Sabbath School and Medical Secretary of the Southern Eu-

ropean Division; Secretary of the Northern European Division; President

of the British Union; and Associate Secretary of the General Conference.

Earlier in his career Dr. Seton served as a teacher, missionary, minister,

and evangelist. He and his wife Marjorie have a son and a daughter, Ge-

rard and Hilary. Dr. Seton loves classical music, especially Beethoven.

He enjoys playing the piano, painting, and reading. Recognized as an au-

thority on hymnology, he has written a book entitled

Our Heritage of

Hymns

that has been published by Andrews University Press.

Supplemental Book:

Meet Pastor Peter

by Bernard

E. Seton is published by the Review and Herald Publishing Association.

It is available at your Adventist Book Center.

Because the Second Epistle of Peter was not addressed to a specific

community other than the general Christian community, it can apply

readily to Christians in the twentieth century. Particularly is this true in the

light of Peter's exhortation to his readers to be faithful in preparing for

Christ's return. Peter draws a sharp contrast between those who will be

ready for the "day of the Lord" and the false teachers, skeptics, and half-

hearted Christians who will not be. The author's approach in this book is

as practical as Peter's was in his second epistle. Written to encourage

verse-by-verse study,

Meet Pastor Peter

shows us the general sweep of

Peter's letters, the background from which he wrote, and the modern im-

plications of his long-ago counsels.

Promises of Power

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 2 Peter 1:1-4.

DAY MEMORY TEXT: "He brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld

him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called

Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone" (John 1:42).

CENTRAL THOUGHT:

Those who have "escaped the corruption that is

in the world" will grow in grace and peace through the knowledge of God.

OVERVIEW-2 Peter 1:1-4

Verse 1

Verse 2a

Verse 2b

Verse 3

Verse 4

Salutation

Challenge

How accomplished?

What is done?

From Peter

to those of

like faith

Grace and

peace be

multiplied

unto you

Through

personal

acquain-

tance with

Christ

Gifts God

bestows

enable us

to do all

things He

wants done

Promised bless-

ings include

restoration of

God's image in

the soul

INTRODUCTION:

We Seventh-day Adventists have emphasized consis-

tently the primacy of the Bible in our doctrinal teaching. We have taken

pride in displaying the biblical foundation for our distinctive as well as

our general beliefs. Doing so has been. commendable, but it also has

posed a danger. Some have misused the proof-text approach by attempt-

ing to join scattered verses or passages that may not have been intended

to keep each other company. How can we escape the pitfalls that are in-

herent in such a procedure and enlarge our knowledge and appreciation

of God's Word in the right way? The answer lies in a study of the book as

its divine Source caused it to be written. Beyond dispute is the fact that

God decided to communicate His will mainly by means of many books,

small and large, that would eventually be gathered into one all-embracing

volume, the Holy Bible. Those books are the vessels into which the Cre-

ator has poured His revelation for our study and has conveyed His think-

ing on the past, present, and future of His creation.

This quarter we will study the Second Epistle of Peter, with a passing

glance at the Epistle of Jude. A verse-by-verse study of Peter's message

will enable us to enjoy the letter as closely as possible in the form in

which the Holy Spirit moved the apostle to write it. We shall come to see

why Peter wrote as he did. The inspiration that came to him in the first

century provided him with a message that is well suited to the close of the

twentieth century. The three chapters in Peter's second epistle abound in

high-level spiritual counsel that presents the inward law as the moral

standard for all Christians.

During the next thirteen weeks we should discover the background to

counsel that previously may have puzzled us. Glimpses of the courage of

early believers may lead us to greater faithfulness in our own Christian

witness. As we meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the sacred pages of these

epistles, we need to allow Him to make us ready for His coming.

DAY I. SALUTATION (2 Peter 1:1).

Meet the writer.

In John 1:42 we find Jesus addressing Andrew's

brother as

Simon,

which in Hebrew or Aramaic means "hearing with ac-

ceptance." In the Bible record that name was given for the first time to

the son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:33), and later became that by which

Peter would be known to his family and friends.

At the first encounter with Simon, Jesus revealed His ability to assess

character and potential (John 1:42). He looked into the face of His pro-

spective recruit and liked what He saw, but also was aware of inherent

weaknesses. However, Peter's strengths outweighed his frailties. The

sterling qualities that Jesus recognized justified the gift of a new name,

Cephas

(Aramaic), or

Petros

(Greek) from which the name

Peter

is de-

©FRANCIS JENKINS ALCOTT, THREE LIONS

rived. It now is thought to signify a small stone. (See Matt. 16:18, 19.) In

spite of the prominence given Peter in the story of the early church, Peter

was no more than one among the twelve disciples, and his early promi-

nence soon gave way to Paul's dynamic gifts.

What is unusual about the way that Peter introduces himself? 2 Peter 1:1.

Some modern versions use "bond servant" to translate the word

ser-

vant,

but even that term does not convey the full force of the original

word.

Doulos

is the common New Testament Greek term for "slave" and

is used to express the depth of Christ's self-abasement in the incarnation

(Phil. 2:7). In his epistle Peter makes no claim to primacy. Instead, we

discover a voluntary self-effacement in the presence of his Lord.

At the same time, he accepts humbly the designation "apostle" or "one

sent." His doing so harks back to the commissioning of the Twelve whom

Jesus "sent forth." (See Matt. 10:5-8; Mark 6:30; Luke 6:13.) They were

not consistently given that cherished title until after the resurrection

(Acts 1:2, 25, 26), and some beside the Twelve were also honored by the

same designation. (See Acts 14:14.)

Meet the first readers.

The readers introduced in the second part of

verse

are those who have accepted Jesus as their Saviour.

There is no boasting in Peter's salutation in verse 1. In respect to the

gospel, the apostle sees himself in the same class as his fellow Chris-

tians—in need of forgiveness and redemption.

The words

like precious

derive from a political term and suggest "of

equal standing" or "equally privileged." "Like precious faith" refers to

acceptance of and faith in Christ's redemption. It emphasizes the equality

of all Christians in respect of salvation. Just as "all have sinned, and

come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23), so "whosoever will, let him

take of the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17).

Through what means is "like precious faith" made available to those who

seek it? 2 Peter 1:1, last part.

Peter briefly describes the source of saving faith. It begins with the

righteousness or right doing or justice of Christ. Christ's death leaves

God's righteousness intact (Rom. 3:26). God's law has not been done

away with in order that He might save us from sin. Eternal life is an

untarnished gift. The Father has not diminished His rightness when He

enables us to "be made the righteousness of God in him [Christ]" (2 Cor.

5:21).

Greek construction suggests that this last part of verse 1 could be trans-

lated more accurately as "our God and Saviour Jesus Christ." The writer

is speaking of one Person, namely, Jesus, through whom the Father has

brought about our redemption. (See Acts 4:12; 2 Cor. 5:19.) This Son is

very God, the Second Person of the Godhead. It is this Divine Being

whose righteousness secures our pardon.

II. CHALLENGE TO CONTINUE GROWING IN GRACE AND PEACE

(2 Peter 1:2).

The same challenge as that mentioned here is found in 1 Peter 1:2. Al-

though Peter's greeting follows a pattern that was common in the first

century its content and authority are specifically Christian. Peter's prayer

that his readers receive the gifts of grace and peace in greater measure

and in higher quality than they had hitherto enjoyed demostrates a possi-

bility that challenges us even today to reach a higher plane in our Chris-

tian experience.

The word translated "grace" originally stood for that quality which

gives pleasure or joy. It became linked to concepts of beauty, loveliness,

and what we now imply by "gracefulness." But New Testament writers

gave the word still deeper significance, relating it to the divine quality

that God's love extends toward sinners. Its ultimate revelation comes in

salvation—"by grace are ye saved through faith" (Eph. 2:8).

Peter's prayer that his readers might have an increase in "peace" was

not so much a desire for absence of strife as for the divine gift that follows

release from sin and its condemnation. As with grace, so with peace: it is

God's gift, from Himself and His Son (John 14:27; Phil. 4:7). The apostle

wishes both grace and peace to increase in the lives of church members,

and he tells how such an increase may be accomplished.

How may we receive grace and peace in our lives? 2 Peter 1:2, second

part.

Peter

here uses a significant Greek word

(epignoosis)

for "knowledge,"

and, in so doing, probably refers to more than a passing knowledge or a

mere nodding acquaintance with a person. The reference is to a deep per-

sonal relationship and a saving experience with the Father and the Son.

This is often expressed as "experiential knowledge," that which we gain

by intimate experience. The apostle uses that word and its less emphatic

form

(gnoosis)

eleven times in his letter, as a noun or as a verb. This

suggests that he places great value on our acquiring that knowledge. How

diligent, then, we ought to be in enlarging our personal acquaintance with

the Godhead!

We gain such full knowledge through careful study of the Bible and by

prayerfully applying its teachings. The Scriptures paint word portraits of

the Father and the Son, encouraging us to develop such godlike qualities.

Bible study that does not produce such holy character fails in its most

practical purpose. Conversely, a faithful study of Peter's second epistle

will, if we allow it, stimulate our growth in grace and will deepen the qual-

ity of that peace "which passeth all understanding" (Phil. 4:7).

DAY

III. GIFTS FOR GODLINESS (2 Peter 1:3).

God and Christ repeatedly are blamed by sinful beings for the troubles

that afflict humankind. Such blame is cruelly unjust. It would be just as

reasonable to blame Henry Ford for all who have been maimed or killed

DAY

by Ford cars since he put the first one on the road! However, we are

aware that roadside tragedies usually are the fault of those using auto-

mobiles and not of the inventor. The fault in our lives, then, lies not with

our Maker but in ourselves and with the sinful human predicament.

The facts expose Satan's lie against God and His Son. They created

human beings in Their own image, with the potential for infinite develop-

ment, supplying all that was needed for "life and godliness." The refer-

ence in verse 3 indicates that they continue to supply all that is needed for

abundant Christian living.



•

READ verse three through several times until you are sure you understand

what it is saying. What does divine power provide for us? How inclusive is

what God promises?

The word translated

godliness

refers to "piety" and became associated

by Christians with the thought of worship and thus that excellence of life

that should be seen in those who adore their Maker.

There is no need for argument over the identity of the Giver of the gifts.

The Father and the Son unitedly bestow eternal life on those who will

receive the gifts. But all blessings come to us through Jesus, "who of God

is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and re-

demption" (1 Cor. 1:30).

What provision has made it possible for us to receive God's life-bringing

gifts if we choose to do so? 2 Peter 1:3, last part.

It is good to know that eternal life can be ours, but unless we know how

to receive it the news tantalizes rather than assures; and God never teases

or frustrates His children. The life-giving gifts can be ours through the

personal, experiential knowledge of the One who has invited us to share

in His "glory and virtue." (See 1 Cor. 1:9; 1 Peter 2:9.)

It is made clear here that it is the divine splendor and goodness that

provide both the incentive and the power for us to receive eternal life and

to attain moral excellence.

DAY IV. PROMISES WITH POWER (2 Peter 1:4).

Although, for convenience sake, we examine Peter's letter in short sec-

tions, we should maintain continuity in our study, seeking to follow the

writer's stream of thought. Verses 3 and 4 belong together. The "where-

by" or "through which" or "by means of which" in verse 4 point back to

the "glory and virtue" at the close of verse 3. Peter declares that these—

God's spiritual wealth and generosity—already have provided us with a

store of "precious and very great promises."

Consider some of the magnificent promises that might have been im-

pressed on Peter's mind as he wrote these words.

we range over the thousands of promises that are found in the Bible,

there are three limitations that Peter points out that need to be observed

in order for us to understand more fully what he had in mind:

The promises should concern "life and godliness" (verse 3).

The promises should encourage us to be "partakers of the divine

nature" (verse 4).

The selection should be drawn largely from the Old Testament (the

only Bible known to early Christians) and possibly the words of Jesus as

given in the Gospels, because the remainder of the New Testament was

either not written, not circulating, or not yet recognized as inspired.

With these restrictions a rich selection of divine assurances come read-

ily to most Bible lovers' minds. A few of these are listed below in the

order of their appearance in the Bible:

Gen. 3:15; 49:10



Dan. 2:44; 7:27; 9:24-27

Ex. 19:5, 6



Micah 5:2; 7:18, 19

Job 19:25, 26



Matt. 1:21; 11:28-30; 24:12-14, 29-35

Ps. 51:17; 91:1, 2



Luke 2:10-14; 19:10

Isa. 7:14; 65:17



John 1:12, 13, 29; 3:16, 17;

Jer. 31:31-34



8:12; 11:25, 26

DAY



Sharers in the divine nature.

In the middle of 2 Peter 1:4 the writer

reveals God's overall purpose in giving us His treasure of promises. They

point to the power that is available to all who wish to partake of the divine

nature.

THINK IT THROUGH:

The fact that we are studying these lessons indi-

cates our interest in such a proposal, but do we currently understand the

demands that such an ambition makes upon those who cherish it? Are we

sure that we want to become "partakers of the divine nature"? Are we

ambitious to become as loving, as patient, as self-sacrificing as God Him-

self? Do we

want

to follow the example of the One who "so loved the

world, that he gave his only begotten Son"? Do we

want

to become holy,

sinless, and unselfish? That is our Maker's ambition for us. Is it ours? Let

this second clause in 2 Peter 1:4 probe the quality of our spiritual desires

and evaluate their sincerity. The power for their fulfillment is inherent in

the promises we have just reviewed.

While the call to godlikeness comes when we are "dead in trespasses

and sins" (Eph. 2:1), the last part of 2 Peter 1:4 pictures us as having

escaped from that sorry condition. As noted in our study of verse 1, Pe-

ter's letter is addressed to those who "have obtained like precious faith"

with him and other Christians. That has been gained by fleeing from or

turning one's back upon the defiling passions that engulf "a world that is

sunk in vice" (verse 4, Jerusalem Bible), and that cause shipwreck to

many who have begun to follow Christ.

More than 80 years ago Ellen White wrote these words that are disturb-

ingly up to date today: "We are living in the midst of an 'epidemic of

crime,' at which thoughtful, God-fearing men everywhere stand aghast.

The corruption that prevails, it is beyond the power of human pen to de-

scribe. Every day brings fresh revelations of political strife, bribery, and

fraud. Every day brings its heart-sickening record of violence and law-

romises



ovver



Lesson

lessness, of indifference to human suffering, of brutal, fiendish destruc-

tion of human life. Every day testifies to the increase of insanity, murder,

and suicide. Who can doubt that satanic agencies are at work among men

with increasing activity to distract and corrupt the mind, and defile and

destroy the body?"—The

Ministry of Healing,

pp. 142, 143.

DAYFURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION: Read

The Desire of Ages,

pages

139, 244-246, 411-414, 811-817, in order to appreciate better Peter's back-

ground and experience.

Meditate on the following:

"It is the glory of God to give His virtue to His children. He desires to

see men and women reaching the highest standard; and when by faith

they lay hold of the power of Christ, when they plead His unfailing prom-

ises, and claim them as their own, when with an importunity that will not

be denied they seek for the power of the Holy Spirit, they will be made

complete in

Him."—The Acts of the Apostles

p. 530.

"Sin not only makes a man unrighteous, it robs him of the glory of God.

And if you understand that, you will realize how futile it is ever to think

that you, by your works or activities, can ever be fit to stand in the pres-

ence of God. Before we can truly know Him, and have communion with

Him, let alone stand before the glory of His presence, we must have

something of His glory. However good we may be, and however moral,

we never shall and never can develop a Divine glory. But without it we

can never see God and never stand in His presence. . . . What a terrible

thing sin is! It robs us not only of righteousness, it robs us of 'the glory of

God.' What a wonderful salvation this is! It not only gives me pardon and

righteousness, it gives me glory: 'Whom he justified, them he also glori-

fied.' Whatever we were before, if we have this faith in the Lord Jesus

Christ and His perfect work, we are clothed with His righteousness, and

something of the glory of God is implanted within us. We are 'made par-

takers of the divine nature' (2 Peter 1:4)."—D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones,

Ro-

mans: An Exposition of Chapters 3:20 to 4:25

(Grand Rapids, Mich.:

Zondervan Publishing House, 1970), pp. 52, 53.

SUMMARY: In the light of the "exceeding great and precious promises"

we have reviewed in this lesson there can be no excuse for the Christian

not to grow in grace and peace. But doing so demands a personal acquain-

tance with God through Christ that comes only from daily study of the

Word and is accompanied by a growing trust and confidence in the fact

that God wants us to have "all things that pertain to life and godliness."

APPLICATION:

•

What basic challenge is offered in this introductory section of Second

Peter, and how do I respond to it?

•

What have I learned about God and personal faith from this study that I

can share with others?

•

How can I put what I have learned into practice in my life during the

week to come? What errors should I avoid?

•

How can I fulfill the potential of the privileges in life and godliness that

the Lord makes possible for me?

arrIt Lesson

Program') for Progress

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 2 Peter 1:5-11.

DAY MEMORY TEXT: "The child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled

with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him."

"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God

and man" (Luke 2:40, 52).

CENTRAL THOUGHT: Spiritual growth is essential to spiritual life.

Those who do not grow are on the way to death, or, at best, will remain

stunted Christians.

PETER'S LADDER-2 Peter 1:5-7 (NIV)



LOVE



BROTHERLY KINDNESS



GODLINESS



PERSEVERANCE



SELF-CONTROL



KNOWLEDGE

GOODNESS

FAITH

INTRODUCTION: In Lesson 1 we found Peter reviewing the basic spiri-

tual blessings that God gives to those who accept His salvation. In this

week's study we find the apostle offering a list of attributes that all who

have accepted Christ and become candidates for the kingdom of heaven

can cultivate by God's blessing. His list merits our close attention.

Cultivation of these qualities will play a vital part in preparing us for ser-

vice here and for life hereafter.

In the area of Christian growth, as in other major areas of development,

Jesus is our example. He grew in the natural, ideal way, becoming a

model boy who must have brought great joy to his parents' hearts. He

also "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man."

His example sets the pattern for the spiritual development of His follow-

ers. Each Christian is to be born of the Spirit and to grow "to mature

manhood, measured by nothing less than the full stature of Christ" (Eph.

4:13, NEB). That growth begins with birth, the new birth by which we

abandon the old and embark on a new Christ-oriented existence that is

marked by a steady spiritual growth and has Christlikeness as its goal.

The growing Christian is engaged in a "Pilgrim's Progress" from this

world to that which is to come. Unlike Bunyan's classic, this "progress"

is not delivered under the similitude of a dream, but concerns the daily

triumphs and failures of aspiring Christians. Peter himself, with the ups

and downs and ups of his discipleship, is well equipped by his experience

to help guide his fellow travelers along the Christian way.

The passage assigned for this week's study presents a program for

progress in spiritual growth. It shows that there is no instant full-fledged

maturity. Instead, it outlines a steady development that produces a bal-

anced Christian character that will ensure our being fruit-bearing follow-

ers of our Lord Jesus Christ. (See verses 8-11.)

DAY I. PETER'S

LADDER (2 Peter 1:5-7).

221



What underlying traits are involved in the first three rungs in the ladder

of Christian development? 2 Peter 1:5.

The phrase "and beside this" is not an afterthought but a logical conse-

quence. Several modern versions bring out the full force of the opening

phrase by translating it as "for this very reason," thereby linking verses 5

through 11 with verses 1 through 4, and making each passage more signifi-

cant. The first four verses of this chapter deal with the Godhead's deeds

that make our salvation possible. The next seven verses concern ways in

which we can cooperate with God through character development. The

motive power for our efforts derives from the all-sufficient saving acts of

Father and Son on our behalf.

The phrase "giving all diligence" may have become weak by

overfamiliarity. Variant translations help restore its impact: "Make every

effort" (RSV), "you must do your utmost from your side" (Phillips), "you

should try your hardest" (NEB). The original word from which these

concepts are derived is also associated with "haste" or "eagerness," thus

introducing a sense of urgency into Peter's counsel.

Then follows the advice that has often been described as "Peter's lad-

der." None of the steps represents self-salvation. Each one is based on a

Heaven-imparted attribute that represents cooperation with what God al-

ready has done. As the Greek implies, these attributes are "placed along-

side" God's initiative, creating a fruitful partnership for spiritual develop-

ment.

"Add to your faith virtue."

To the initial attribute of faith we should

exert our spiritual energies to add "moral excellence" (NASB) or "good-

ness" (NIV). Peter urges us to cooperate with God in building "virtue" or

"goodness" into our own characters. (Compare with Phil. 4:8.)

"After receiving the faith of the gospel, our first work is to seek to add

virtuous and pure principles, and thus cleanse the mind and the heart for

the reception of true

knowledge."—Testimonies, vol.

1, p. 552.

"Add . . . to virtue knowledge."

The apostle gives the word

knowledge

spiritual value by making it refer to the Christian's knowledge of God and

His will. This knowledge should supply principles that guide the believ-

er's daily conduct and spark his or her moral aspirations. At conversion

we are given the nucleus of such knowledge, but that is not enough. Our

Lord expects us to grow in spiritual understanding, gaining clearer in-

sights into Christian morality and becoming spiritually mature.

DAY What relationships can be observed between the next three desirable

qualities? 2 Peter 1:6.

Self-control.

The Greek word

egkrateia,

used four times in the New

Testament (Acts 24:25; Gal. 5:23; and twice in today's verse), is consis-

tently translated as "temperance" in the KJV. Most other versions rightly

render it as "self-control," for it derives from

kratos, "strength,"

and im-

plies power over oneself, that is, self-control. This gives a wider applica-

tion to Paul's ninth "fruit of the Spirit" (Gal. 5:22, 23) and covers all areas

of a Christian's life.

Perseverance.

One of the most-expected of Christian virtues is "pa-

tience." Its practice is strongly recommended, especially in the New Tes-

tament where the Greek word occurs at least 28 times with the meaning of

"endurance," or "continuance." The word suggests steadfastness, perse-

verance, constancy, as well as the ability to wait. These quiet qualities are

needed in personal and public situations.

SEARCH AND LEARN: Compare the following texts in the King James

Version with that of a more recent Bible version to

see

how "patience" has

been translated:

Luke 8



Rom. 15:4, 5



2 Cor 6.4



Godliness.

This also is a New Testament concept that the early Chris-

tian writers borrowed from pagan usage. The word is found only in

1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and 2 Peter. It suggests reverence or piety, devo-

tion to God, and has been defined as "very practical awareness of God in

every aspect of life."—Michael Green,

Tyndale Commentaries,

2 Peter

and Jude (London: Tyndale Press, 1968), p. 70.

How greatly we need this quality today, both in our personal lives and

in our church relationships! It can be fostered by simple devotional hab-

its. Brother Lawrence, in his small but mighty devotional classic, de-

scribes this as "the practice of the presence of God." In his seventh letter

he writes: "It is not necessary for being with God to be always at church;

we may make an oratory of our heart wherein to retire from time to time,

to converse with Him in meekness, humility, and love. . . . Use yourself

then by degrees thus to worship Him, to get His grace, to offer Him your

heart from time to time in the midst of your business, even every moment

if you

can."—The Practice of the Presence of God

(Old Tappan, N. J.:

Fleming H. Revell Co., 1958), p. 50.

DAY



Define the two final steps that complete the ladder of Christian growth.

2 Peter 1:7.

While Peter makes no apparent effort to rate one quality higher than

another, we cannot escape the conviction that his thoughts are moving up

the ladder of Christian excellence. Arrival at this seventh attribute (faith

being the first and the key to the rest) suggests, as with Paul's classic list

in 1 Corinthians 13, that the six preceding capacities avail little if they are

not wrapped in love.

Pastor Peter encourages his Christian readers to cultivate and exercise

brotherly love.

In Scripture this term is used for affection, shown to mem-

bers of the same community (Rom. 12:10) and should be so used here.

Happy is the church where brotherly and sisterly kindness reigns! Its

balm soothes many wounds and dissolves many smoldering disagree-

ments.

When we reach

charity

love

we are on the topmost rung of the ladder

that reaches from earth to heaven; for, of all the noble traits that the apos-

tle has been recommending, this is the highest. Without copying Paul, he

is echoing Paul's thought: "the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor. •13:13).

How easy it is to repeat the musical phrase; how difficult to practice in

every situation the principle it embodies! It refers to the queen of virtues;

it denotes self-sacrificing concern and action on behalf of another. This

love flows from God who Himself is love. (See 1 John 4:8.) Godly people

who aspire to share in the divine nature must abound in such love to all

about them.

THINK IT THROUGH:

As you study, search your heart for evidence of

genuine Christian love for others, be they church members or otherwise.

If you find a lack in this area, it is time for you to heed Peter's counsel and

to ask the Lord to add generous doses of brotherly kindness and Christ-

like love to your store of Christian virtues.

ILLUMINATION:

"These words are full of instruction, and strike the

keynote of victory. The apostle presents before the believers the ladder of

Christian progress, every step of which represents advancement in the

knowledge of God, and in the climbing of which there is to be no stand-

still. . . . We are saved by climbing round after round, mounting step

after step, to the height of Christ's ideal for us. . . .

"All these successive steps are not to be kept before the mind's eye,

and counted as you start; but fixing the eye upian Jesus, with an eye single

to the glory of God, you will make advancement. . . .

"By taking one step after another, the highest ascent may be climbed,

and the summit of the mount may be reached at last."—My

Life Today,

95.

"You are not to think that you must wait until you have perfected one

grace before cultivating another. No; they are to grow up together, fed

continually from the fountain of charity; every day that you live, you cal

be perfecting the blessed attributes fully revealed in the character of

Christ."—Ellen G. White Comments,

S.D.A. Bible Commentary, vol.

p. 943.

NOTES:

DAY

II. BENEFITS FROM PROGRESS (2 Peter 1:8-11).



With what firm assurance does the apostle conclude his survey of ideal

character development? 2 Peter 1:8.

Children often are told to do things without being given a reason. Wise

parents and teachers realize that a child usually performs better when the

need for and the benefits accruing from requests are explained. Our Lord

has always known the value of such instruction and has often taken great

care to include information with His commands. (For examples, see Ex.

20:8-12; Matt. 5:43-48; 16:24-27.)

Peter has just issued some stark injunctions bidding us to add one fine

quality to another. He concludes that instruction by promising fruitage

from compliance. If we cooperate with God by building into our charac-

ters the spiritual gifts that await our acceptance and use, then some very

desirable results will follow. His use of the word

i f

allows for the

possibillity that not all will follow his counsel, but we need not be among

those who refuse. And, if we do not refuse, we can be sure that the Chris-

tian graces and the peace they bring will be "multiplied" in us (verse 2).

When we cooperate with God in cultivating our characters in the way

that Peter has outlined, we reap benefits that are expressed negatively

here: (1) We shall not be "barren," a word that is better rendered "idle"

or "lazy"; and (2) we shall not be "without fruit." Both illustrations obvi-

ously are drawn from agriculture. The negative, of course, implies the

positive. A personal and ever-increasing knowledge of Jesus certainly

will produce fruit in our lives. What fruitage are we bearing?

How does

the writer

assess the usefulness of

those who neglect to develop

their Christian potential? Verse 9.

No Christian need be numbered among the unfruitful. But those who,

having committed themselves to Christ by baptism, neglect to cultivate

the graces listed in verses 5 to 7, are pictured as being "blind," or short-

sighted. Failing to see the benefit and the glory promised to those who

develop Christian attributes, they forget the commitment made and the

joy experienced at the time of initial surrender to Jesus. They see only the

temporal, having lost sight of the victory over sin that God's "exceeding

great and precious promises" (verse 4) have made possible. They are in

danger of qualifying for Peter's later comparison when he speaks of pigs

who return to their own filth (2:22).

DAY What further fruitage is promised to those who persevere in Christian

development? 2 Peter 1:10.

In view of the danger of backsliding and even of apostasy, there now

comes earnest advice. This advice is addressed to "brethren" who have

been earlier identified as "them that have obtained like precious faith

with us" (verse 1). These born-again Christians obviously include sisters

also. Collectively, they are later called "beloved" (3:1, 8,

14,

17), an even

more tender term. They are urged in 2 Peter 1:5 to give "diligence" or "to

make every effort" (NIV), to make their "calling and election sure"

(verse 10). This exhortation confirms that we have an active part to play

in effecting our own salvation, not just a passive one as some suggest.

The calling comes from God who, as Peter avers, is "not willing that

any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (3:9).

NOTE: This view is sustained throughout Scripture. (See Isa. 55:1; Eze.

18:23; 33:11; John 3:16; 7:37; 1 Tim. 2:4; Rev. 22:17.)

We are free to accept or reject the divine invitation. Those who accept

are described as "the called" in Romans 8:28.

Peter urges us to make certain that we do not lose salvation by default.

He exhorts us to do all that is necessary—to make sure for ourselves—

that our calling and election are certain or confirmed. The counsel is fol-

lowed by a promise. If we keep on doing those things—adding the graces

listed in verses 5 to 7 and again referred to in verses 8 and 9, and ensuring

that our calling and election are made certain—then we shall never fall

away. The

never

is emphatic. The Jerusalem Bible translates the entire

phrase as "there is no danger that you will ever fall away"—a stabilizing

assurance!

What assurance does Peter hold out to those who faithfully follow his in-

spired counsel? 2 Peter 1:11.

If we "give diligence to make" our "calling and election sure," we shall

find that generous arrangements have been made for us to enjoy eternal

life. Some of the original words that lie behind that promise deserve

closer attention. "For so," that is, "in this way" as outlined in verse 10

where we are urged to be diligent in making certain of our calling and

election. "Entrance"

(eisodos)

is the reverse of

exodos,

and refers to the

"way in" in contrast to an exodus, or way out. This suggests our exit

from Egypt, or the world, and our admission into the Promised Land.

Such a prospect will not be realized through our own efforts, but will be

provided by Another's generosity, and that on a truly lavish scale. The

word translated "abundantly" is related to the word for "wealth" or

"riches." And what is the prospect? Entrance into "the everlasting king-

dom" that will never pass away. (See Dan. 2:44; Rev. 11:15.) And whose is

that kingdom? It belongs to the most powerful and most benevolent of all

rulers—our own beloved Master and Saviour, Jesus.

DAY FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

For a broadening of insight into

the value of "Peter's Ladder" read

The Acts of the Apostles,

pages 529 to

533, and

The Great Controversy,

page 470.

Consider also the following:

"The apostle has presented before us the importance of making contin-

ual advancement in the Christian life. There is no excuse for our lack of

1R1111E0D



Pro

ress

spiritual understanding. The successive steps in the path of progress are

stated in the exhortation of the text, and we must take these steps if we

fulfill the requirement of God, and become fitted for the heavenly courts.

The work of progress is not left wholly dependent on our weak human

efforts; but as we endeavor to walk in the footsteps of the Redeemer, di-

vine strength will be imparted, that the righteousness of the law may be

fulfilled in us. Help has been laid upon One who is mighty to save, and as

we strive to add these virtues, He will multiply grace, according to our

need, from His own divine sufficiency."—Ellen G. White,

Peter's Coun-

sel to Parents,

p. 16.

"No one will make any upward progress without persevering effort. He

who would overcome must hold fast to Christ. He must not look back,

but keep the eye ever upward, gaining one grace after another."—Testi-

monies,

vol. 6, p. 147.

"Seize every opportunity to contribute to the happiness of those

around you, sharing with them your affection. Words of kindness, looks

of sympathy, expressions of appreciation, would to many a struggling,

lonely one be as a cup of cold water to a thirsty soul. A word of cheer, an

act of kindness, would go far to lighten the burdens that are resting heav-

ily upon weary shoulders. It is in unselfish ministry that true happiness is

found."—Testimonies, vol.

7, p. 50.

"Our love is frequently selfish, for we confine it to prescribed limits.

When we come into close union and fellowship with Christ, our love and

sympathy and our works of benevolence will reach down deeper and will

widen and strengthen with exercise. The love and interest of Christ's fol-

lowers must be as broad as the world. Those who live merely for 'me and

mine' will fail of

Heaven."—Testimonies,

vol. 3, p. 530.

SUMMARY: The act of beginning the joyful Christian pilgrimage is a use-

ful one, but it has little value unless it is followed by forward motion to-

ward the kingdom. This is marked by spiritual growth, the development

of character traits that play a vital part in fitting us for a sin-free eternity.

APPLICATION:

As a Christian, I need to grow. There is no danger of my becoming too

tall! The sky is the limit. I need

continual

spiritual growth.

Which of the eight qualities listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7 are strong features in

my character? Which are weakest? What attention am I going to give to

the latter as a result of this week's study?

My growth should result from my increasing personal knowledge of

and living acquaintance with the Lord of my life.

Such growth will not take place without deliberate and continuous ef-

fort on my part. I must be diligent, adding my diligence to what God

and Christ have already done and continue to do for me.

As a Christian I need to be fruitful. My personal growth should also

benefit others.

The Ministry of

Remembrance

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 2 Peter 1:12-15.

MEMORY TEXT: "The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom

the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and

bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto

you" (John 14:26).

CENTRAL THOUGHT:

The pastor-spirit in Peter made him urge his

friends to recall the instruction and experiences that led them to become

Christians. Anticipation of his own martyrdom lent urgency to his exhor-

tations. This reminds us of our need to remember the teachings that drew

us to Christ and into

His church.

OVERVIEW-2 Peter 1:12-15

Verse 12

The apostle recognizes that his readers are knowledgeable

concerning the principal tenets of their faith, but sees the

need to refresh their memories.

Verse 13

He intends to keep on reminding them of that need while

his life is spared.

Verse 14

Peter realizes that Christ's prophecy concerning his death

will soon be fulfilled.

Verse 15

His fervent desire is that they will remain faithful after his

death.

INTRODUCTION:

Memory is an essential function for living. Without it

physical life might continue with other people's aid, but meaningful life

would be impossible. Memory enables us to perform needful acts, to

learn life's lessons, to profit from its joys and sorrows, its successes and

failures, from instruction and from experience—indeed, experience is

based on memory. The ability to remember enables us to love and be

loved, for without it we would start each day with totally new encounters,

never associating our parents, our children, our wives, our husbands, or

our friends with those who brought joy and support to us yesterday. With-

out memory there would be no music, no poetry, no art of any kind. There

DAY

r 0=nm



annisaa

Remembrance

would be no past on which to build present and future achievements. Our

only choice would be to live in an empty present.

Without memory we would have no religion, for religion is founded on

the past, serves the present, and prepares for the future. Thus it demands

that we remember. Memory has played a central role in bringing us the

Bible. The book of Genesis, for instance, enshrines many patriarchal rec-

ollections; while the remainder of the Old Testament, including the major

and minor prophets, is firmly based on the function of memory in the

minds of those whom the Spirit chose to serve as writers. In the New

Testament, Luke discloses his dependence on others' accounts of what

they had known and heard (Luke 1:1-4), while John, aided by the Spirit,

depended on memory for the composition of his Gospel and the accurate

reporting of his apocalyptic visions.

In this setting it should not surprise us that, in the passage we are

studying this week, Peter declares his intention of stirring up his readers'

memories of the history on which their faith is based. His own remem-

brances were clear and abundant, from the day Jesus called him into part-

nership (Matt. 4:18-20) to the hour when his Master was taken up into

heaven and the Spirit came to lead the infant church into action. This

same Spirit is ever needed by Christ's followers. As this week's memory

text indicates, He is to teach us all things. He is to bring all things to our

remembrance, and especially to help us recall the instructions of our

Lord. It is against this background of things past that we now turn to

study, for our present profit, the passage in which Peter underlines our

need to remember.

DAY I. FAITHFUL TEACHER (2 Peter 1:12).

Pastoral concern.

Although the greeting at the beginning of this epistle

tells us the name of the writer, it gives no clue to the identity of its recipi-

ents apart from confirming that they were fellow Christians. Because his

letter reveals a personal knowledge of his readers' needs and a deep con-

cern for their spiritual welfare, some think that it is not difficult to accept

the thought that Peter was at one time their pastor. Be that as it may, for

him they are not "out of sight, out of mind." From afar he is with them,

conscious of the situations that confront them and giving the counsel that

is most suitable to their circumstances.

It seems likely that the apostle expresses his instructions positively

rather than in the negative form given in some versions of this passage.

Far from being in any way negligent, he always intends to keep on re-

minding them of the importance of those matters that he has been dis-

cussing with them. The first word, "Wherefore," may primarily refer

back to verse 11 with its prospect of their entrance into Christ's eternal

kingdom. But "these things" must include the moral qualities promoted

in verses 5 to 8 the diligence that will aid their "calling and election"

(verse 10), and the certainty of their salvation (verse 11).

What does Peter's example teach us about helping others learn and keep

in mind the truths of the gospel message?

As a good teacher, Peter reviews the divine plan, refreshing his read-

ers' memories, fixing the essentials in their minds so that they will not fail

through forgetfulness. It is as if he were saying, "We have nothing to fear

for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us."—

Testimonies to Ministers,

p. 31. He doubtless gave them similar instruc-

tion when he was with them; but, knowing human frailty, he now commits

it to writing that they might have it for repeated reference.

In addition to Peter's instruction, on what other assistance may we de-

pend for recalling redemptive teaching? John 14:26.

This is a promise from Christ's own lips, given primarily to His first

disciples; but it also is applicable to all who follow Him. We are to store

divine instruction in the almost limitless capacities of our minds. Stu-

dents of the human brain tell us that the average person uses less than 10

percent of his or her mental capacity. There is plenty of room, then, for

the storage of all the spiritual instruction that we are willing to receive,

and we can build a well-nigh inexhaustible reserve for present and future

use under the prompting and guidance of the Holy Spirit. First, we must

learn ("he shall teach you all things"); then, on an ongoing basis, we must

remember ("he shall bring all things to your remembrance"). In this re-

spect, the Spirit's mission is to remind us of Christ's teachings ("whatso-

ever

have said unto you").

SEARCH AND LEARN: What were some of the memories that awaited

Peter's recall?

Matt. 14:28-31



Mark 1:29-31



John 1:41, 42



John 13:8, 9



John 20:3-7



Acts 12:3-19



There is so much detail that we long to know, and that Peter could accu-

rately give! But we must settle for what has been given. We would like to

know more, but let us be honest. Have we exhausted all the information

that is currently at our disposal in the Gospels and Epistles?

Our minds may be likened to a bank wherein we deposit the records of

life's experiences and the lessons that they have taught us. In addition

there is the spiritual information and understanding that come from years

of study and learning. We are free to withdraw those recollections at any

time, to use them for guidance and inspiration. We can then return them

to the bank without incurring any penalty or loss, and even with some

Remem rance

Lesson

gain. The more we draw upon those deposits the greater our wealth be-

comes—with one condition: we must continually make new deposits in

order to avoid total dependence on the past. An active and current ac-

count shows that we still are in business.

DAY



Why does Peter underline the continuing need for the study of Christian

fundamentals even by mature believers? 2 Peter 1:12.

The writer displays great tact. It is as if he were aware of a more re-

cently discovered fact, namely, that all we hear, read, or experience is

never lost; it is stored away in our minds, available for recall. The trouble

with most of us is that we are not able to recall every desired piece of

information when it is most needed. So the apostle recognizes that his

readers know "these things" of which he has been writing, but he recog-

nizes in addition that their memories need to be strengthened.

He could be, and is, writing to each of us in the late twentieth century.

Very few of us can claim ignorance of the facts of our religion. We know

the "fundamental truths." Many of us can quote book, chapter, and verse

in their support. Others feel doctrinally secure but are worried by

fightings and fears within and without. Others harbor doubts that unsettle

their faith. Because of problems such as these, Peter sees the need for

reminding all of us to refresh our remembrance and understanding of the

foundations of our belief and conduct. It is not that these pillars change,

but that our grasp and application of them should develop as we mature in

the practice of our religion.

What is the significance of the phrase "present truth" in verse 12?

From the Day of Pentecost there had been a recognizable body of doc-

trine. The word

present

therefore alludes to the knowledge of religious

truth that Peter's readers then possessed in common with other believers.

They had been well instructed, yet they still needed to have their knowl-

edge refreshed and enlarged. Do we not stand in similar need? "Let him

that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12).

II. FAITHFUL SHEPHERD (2 Peter 1:13).

Conscientious pastor.

As it was with Paul—" Christ's love compels us"

(2 Cor. 5:14, NIV)—so with Peter: love for his flock inspired his untiring

ministry. "I think it meet," or "right" (NIV), he explains, using the Greek

word that is related to the word for "righteousness," and which in New

Testament usage can carry high moral overtones. His pastoral conscience

impels him to remind them of the foundations of their faith. He repeatedly

draws their attention to the historical and moral bases on which their reli-

gion rests. His first efforts may not have seemed entirely successful, for

he intends to keep on stirring up their sluggish memories, or to keep on

waking them up to what they have been taught. Such reminders are a vital

part of a pastor's ministry. His congregation's willing response, expressed

in renewed belief and active loyalty, is a large part of that pastor's reward.

DAY

IWAIM11041.U:

THINK IT THROUGH: Why should Christians exercise their memories?

No effort that we make to remember what we have been taught will be

lost. "It is a law of the mind, that it will narrow or expand to the dimen-

sions of the things with which it becomes familiar. The mental powers will

surely become contracted, and will lose their ability to grasp the deep

meanings of the word of God, unless they are put vigorously and persis-

tently to the task of searching for truth. The mind will enlarge, if it is

employed in tracing out the relation of the subjects of the Bible, compar-

ing scripture with scripture, and spiritual things with spiritual. Go below

the surface; the richest treasures of thought are waiting for the skillful and

diligent student.

"—Fundamentals of Christian Education,

p. 127.

DAY III. FAITHFUL MARTYR (2 Peter 1:14, 15).

Death draws near.

The phrase "as long as I am in this tabernacle"

(verse 13) introduces the topic of mortality. In Peter's case he was well

instructed on the subject. Although he did not know the date of his death,

he knew he was drawing near to that dread event. For more than 30 years

he had carried with him the memory of his Master's postresurrection dis-

closure, spoken beside the Tiberian Sea: "When thou shalt be old, thou

shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee

whither thou wouldest not." He knew what those words meant: "This

spake he [Jesus], signifying by what death he [Peter] should glorify God"

(John 21:18, 19). (See also John 13:36.) And now, as in all probability he

neared the age of 70 and the fulfillment of those solemn phrases came

uncomfortably close, he viewed his coming death by crucifixion calmly,

uncomplainingly: "I know," that is, he recognizes, "that

shall have to

leave this body at very short notice" (2 Peter 1:14, Phillips). Although

there is no firm clue as to its place of origin, if the letter were written from

prison during Nero's persecution of Christians, it would have been sent

from Rome. Yet there is no self-pity in the apostle's attitude. His thoughts

are fastened not on his own welfare but on that of his distant Christian

friends.

The word Peter uses for

tabernacle

is not the usual New Testament

term used to designate such a place. The reference is to the body in which

he lives as in a tent. "Peter is thinking of his mortal, material body as but

a temporary thing eventually to be replaced by an immortal

one."—

S.D.A. Bible Commentary, vol.

7, p. 599. This immediately raises the

question: If he lays aside his body, what happens to the rest of his being?

Believers in the immortality of the soul speak of the departure of that

entity to eternal bliss. We who find such a concept unscriptural, tie this

reference to the Bible teaching of an unbroken sleep that will continue

until the second coming at which time "this mortal must put on immortal-

ity" (1 Cor. 15:53). In support of that position, note that Peter makes no

reference to any heavenward sequel to the body's decease. He would,

however, agree that "the spirit [or breath] shall return unto God who gave

it" (Eccl. 12:7).

The word translated "shortly" in the King James Version (verse 14)

may be better expressed as "swiftly" or "speedily," thereby strengthen-

ing the probability that he expected to die soon after writing his letter. If

that was so, how precious that letter would be to contemporary Chris-

tians in Asia Minor, and eventually to believers in all ages!

DAY



In the face of death, how does Peter reveal his deep concern for his read-

ers' spiritual welfare? 2 Peter 1:15.

The sense of urgency again shows itself in the apostle's message. The

words "I will endeavour" may be translated, "I shall make haste," or "I

shall speak earnestly," suggesting the seriousness of what he is about to

say. This note is deepened by his speaking of his "decease," a reference

to his impending death. In writing this, he employs the word

exodos

which, as mentioned in the last lesson, literally means "a way out." The

most famous use of the word is for the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt. In

this verse it evidently is used to depict Peter's departure from this life by

crucifixion.

Exodos

is also used by Luke in recording the transfiguration

scene where Moses and Elijah talk with Jesus concerning His "decease"

or death at Jerusalem (Luke 9:31). If Peter had expected immediate trans-

lation to heaven at the time of his death, he might well have used the well-

known Greek word

eisodos,

that is, "a way into" or "an entry," suggest-

ing entrance into heaven. His choice of

exodos

suggests that he was not

expecting immediate entrance into glory, but viewed death as his exodus

from this life with no thought of an immediate entry into a promised land.

Without spending further words on his own imminent departure or

death, Peter concentrates on his friends' well-being. To that end he writes

his epistle with its frequent urgent emphases on "remembrance."

NOTE

that Peter already has made several references to the sources that

are available for Christian development: verse 3—divinely given knowl-

edge of the Lord Jesus, verse 4—"great and precious promises," verses

5-8—moral graces that yield spiritual fruitage, verses 9-11—graces that

will direct their steps toward the kingdom.

In urging them to remember, it is possible also that Peter may have

been referring to that body of instruction that Mark embodied in his Gos-

pel, which usually is attributed to information he received from Peter.

Beginning with verse 12 he repeatedly stresses the need for them to re-

member what they have been taught, and now, in verse 15, he sets that

counsel in the context of his own approaching execution. The exhorta-

tions are a moving part of his last will and testament, and must have been

most lovingly treasured and circulated.

DAY FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

Read with sympathetic atten-

tion,

The Acts of the Apostles,

pages 537, 538 that deal with Peter's death.

Study the following quotations carefully:

"Peter can hardly over-emphasize the importance of reminders. Here

(2 Peter 1:13) he has just reminded his readers of the call of God, the need

for growth in grace, and the heavenly home which awaits them. . . . It

would seem that he could never forget His Lord's commission, 'When

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Lesson

you are converted, establish your brethren.' He determines to continue

with it to the end of his days."—Michael Green,

Tyndale New Testament

Commentaries,

vol. 18, p. 78.

"As a means of intellectual training, the Bible is more effective than any

other book, or all other books combined. The greatness of its themes, the

dignified simplicity of its utterances, the beauty of its imagery, quicken

and uplift the thoughts as nothing else can. No other study can impart

such mental power as does the effort to grasp the stupendous truths of

revelation. The mind thus brought in contact with the thoughts of the Infi-

nite cannot but expand and strengthen."—Education. p. 124.

SUMMARY: Ministerial faithfulness requires that pastors remind their

congregations of the principal convictions that led them to become Chris-

tians. On their side, all Christians need to review the foundations of their

faith and to invite the Holy Spirit's ministry of remembrance. Our memo-

ries are frail, and we need frequent refreshment of the hope that is within

us.

APPLICATION:

•

How often do I allow the Holy Spirit to teach me all things? Only on

Sabbaths? Why should I not seek His instruction every day?

•

A thought for pastors and teachers: How faithful am I in reminding the

members of my congregation or my class about the foundations on

which their Christian faith must stand?

•

As a baptized member, how faithful am I in reviewing and strengthen-

ing my understanding of the basic teachings that led me to become a

Seventh-day Adventist?

•

How diligent am I in Bible study? Do I merely read, or do I meditate

upon and study the inspired words? Do I grow in understanding

through sharing what I learn with those about me?

•

Am I as ready to face normal death as was Peter to face the horror of

crucifixion?

NOTES:

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Eyewitness of Majesty

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 2 Peter 1:16-18.

DAY MEMORY TEXT: "After six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and

John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart,



and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun,

and his raiment was white as the light" (Matt. 17:1, 2).

CENTRAL THOUGHT:

The certainty of our faith is founded on the incar-

nation of our Lord as Jesus of Nazareth. The transfiguration dramatized

that saving act and the coming of the future kingdom of glory. Even when

we study it today it focuses our attention on our Saviour's majesty and

His power over sin and death.

OVERVIEW-2 Peter 1:16-18

Verse 16a

In telling the believers about the future kingdom of glory

Peter insists that he did not follow "cunningly devised

fables."

Verse 16b

He was an eyewitness of the transfiguration—a miniature

representation of Christ's coming kingdom.

Verse 17

Peter's brief report of the transfiguration.

Verse 18

He saw it, heard the voice, and never would be able to

forget it.

INTRODUCTION:

The apostle's readers lived in an idolatrous environ-

ment. Those who had the courage to become Christians in the first cen-

tury had to contend with the multitude of gods who were worshiped, in

varying degrees of sincerity and faithfulness, by most of their neighbors.

There was no way of escaping from the idol-ridden environment. Gate-

ways to every town and village were flanked by statues representing their

inhabitants' gods and goddesses. Public buildings were adorned by busts

of the same. Private homes had their niches where family deities were

housed. Even in the country, escape was impossible, for there the sacred

groves and grottoes, dedicated to the worship of one or more of the vast

pantheon, were held in no less esteem than the cities' temples.

In such surroundings, the Christian was pledged to worship the invisi-

ble God who once had manifested Himself in the person of His Son.

Jesus, born as a Jew, taught the highest of all moralities and called His

followers to its faithful observance. His religion was so different from all

others that its adherents were marked men and women who needed incal-

culable courage to be faithful to their newfound beliefs.

Peter wrote his two letters in order to strengthen such stalwarts in their

brave witness. In his second letter we have found him urging his fellow

Christians to develop their spiritual potential (1:2), to grow in godliness

(1:3, 4), diligently to add grace to grace (1:5-7), and to prepare for en-

trance into Christ's kingdom (1:10). He recognized their continuing need

of encouragement and instruction, and took care to remind them to be

faithful to the rudiments of their religion (1:10-15).

In verses 16 to 18 he practiced what he had been preaching about re-

membering. He recalled, as vividly as if it had happened only a short

while before, the splendor of his Master's transfiguration. Never, never

would he forget that holy drama. He knew that sharing it would bring

them strength and confidence for faithful witness in the pagan world in

which they lived.

DAY I. FABLE OR FACT? (2 Peter 1:16).

121



Cunningly devised fables.

The early Christians lived in a world whose

major religions were formulated around fables and folklore that were

fashioned to explain many of life's principal mysteries. Many such stories

were embodied in Greek and Roman legends that were cast in poetical

form. The mythical gods and goddesses of these legends assumed human

guise, as artists represented them in exquisite sculptures. One firm ex-

ception to this general trend was Judaism with its monotheism—"The

Lord our God is one Lord"—yet even that was diluted by fantastic

angelology and demonology and other nonbiblical concepts before the

Christian era began.

Into this fancy-laden astmosphere there came the reality of Bethle-

hem's Babe, the silent but busy years at Nazareth, the recognition

through John's baptism, the early preaching beside the Sea of Galilee, the

quietly performed miracles, and Christ's acceptance and rejection in Je-

rusalem. A few perceptive eyes penetrated the humanity that veiled

Christ's divinity; but, for the most part, the Son of God was concealed by

the Son of man. On one unique occasion the veil was lifted and heavenly

splendor was allowed to shine through. That was on the mount where the

Son of Mary stood revealed as the Son of God.

Peter must have had all this in mind as he turned from his exhortations

on remembering to appeal to the history in which he had participated.

What were the "cunningly devised fables," or "cleverly devised myths"

(RSV), or "cleverly invented stories" (NIV), or "tales artfully spun" (NEB)

that Peter rejected?

He might have been referring to the heathen mythology mentioned

above, knowing that in Asia Minor his readers were daily exposed to such

officially supported fiction. Or he may have been thinking of the fanciful

distortions of Christian doctrine that were being peddled by false teach-

ers such as those with whom we will find him dealing so energetically in

chapter 2 of this epistle.

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How does the apostle relate the revelation of Christ's glory to His final

triumph? 2 Peter 1:16.

Our Lord's coming.

Against the perverted notions being circulated

Peter here appeals to either (1) his preaching of the gospel story, or (2) his

account of Christ's life and ministry that came to be embodied in Mark's

Gospel. These two possible applications are based on the words "we

made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

It should also be noted that Peter was not speaking solely on his own

authority. He employs the apostolic "we" in this verse, undoubtedly

bringing James and John into the picture as they saw and heard what he

saw and heard on "the holy mount."

Peter's words sustain a wider application still; for he uses the key New

Testament word

parousia,

"coming" or "presence," which in 17 of its 22

occurrences refers to Christ's second coming.

[DJ

DAY NOTE how the second coming consistently is linked with a manifestation of

"power" in Matthew 24:27-30; 1 Corinthians 15:53-58; 1 Thessalonians

4:14-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; 2 Peter 3:10-13.

It seems clear that, in addition to the fleeting magnificence of the trans-

figuration, Peter also had his Lord's return (which it prefigured) in mind.

That interpretation is supported by the close connection between the

transfiguration and the second coming in the Gospel records. Matthew's

account may be taken as typical, with Mark and Luke agreeing. In Mat-

thew 16 Jesus concluded His discourse concerning His divinity (verses

13-20), His death and resurrection (verses 21-23), and the superior worth

of the soul over the world (verses 24-26) with an unmistakable reference

to His climactic return (verse 27). He followed this with the promise in

verse 28: "There be some of you standing here, which shall not taste of

death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." Chapter 17

then describes the transfiguration (verses 1-9), implying that, in minia-

ture, it prefigures Christ's return in glory. It might be described as a pre-

view of His second coming.

What impressive claim does Peter make concerning his presence on the

mount of transfiguration? 2 Peter 1:16, last part.

Each word in the clause "but were eyewitnesses of his majesty" is sig-

nificant. The "but" relates to the writer's assertion that gospel messen-

gers were not following myths or fables as they taught about Christ's

power and His return. On the contrary, they were relating what they had

actually seen. They were "eyewitnesses," a word translated from a

Greek word that is used only here in the New Testament, but ordinarily

applied to those who had been initiated into the higher mysteries as prac-

ticed in pagan religions. By using that particular word, Peter asserts the

superiority of his witness over that of those who promoted "cunningly

devised fables." He, with James and John, had been privileged beyond all

comparison over other teachers. With his own eyes he had looked on the

glorified Jesus. He had seen his Master in His regal majesty—a revelation

that soared higher than any human initiation could ever reach. He and his

two companions had seen the King in His beauty (Isa. 33:17).

DAY II. DIVINE REALITY (2 Peter 1:17).

Honor from heaven.

The apostle now describes some aspects of the

unique scene of which he was an eyewitness. He makes no effort to tell

the entire story for which even the concise Mark uses nine verses (Mark

9:2-10). He concentrates on those features that serve his immediate pur-

pose—to stress the reliability of the Christian message in contrast to the

unreliability of rival philosophies or of unorthodox Christian teachings.

To this end he recalls the honor and glory that came to his Master on the

mount: the honor and the glory which He had temporarily set aside but

which He had possessed with God "before the world was" (John 17:5). In

complete humility, the Son had left those attributes in His Fathers's

hands, and from those hands again received them for a brief time prior to

taking them again forever.

"There came such a voice to him from [or by] the excellent glory."

do not know the form in which the Father and the Son communed with

each other during our Lord's earthly life. But publicly audible exchanges

appear to have been few: once at baptism (Matt. 3:17), again at the trans-

figuration (Matt 17:5), and once more soon after Christ's triumphal entry

into Jerusalem (John 12:28). How precious those acknowledgements

must have been to the Son of man in His voluntary exile from His Fa-

ther's home!

ILLUSTRATION:

To what may we in our restricted humanity compare

the encouraging joy that such a pronouncement brought to the earth-

bound Son? By way of faint comparison, imagine a young man on an ant-

arctic expedition, marooned at the South Pole but in radio communica-

tion with his faraway home, tuning in to hear his father's voice just as

clearly as if he were beside him, giving the assurance that all was well,

help was on the way, and that he would soon be home! Loneliness would

vanish. The two would be close together again, and the wait would be

endured with quiet confidence.

What was the significance of the awesome acknowledgement that the dis-

ciples heard upon the holy mount? 2 Peter 1:17, 18.

Divine recognition.

Apart from the majestic manifestation of the Fa-

ther's glory that must have filled the disciples' hearts with holy awe, there

came "a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in

whom

am well pleased; hear ye him" (Matt. 17:5). They had heard the

voice from heaven at Jesus' baptism, but so had the multitude that

crowded Jordan's bank. They later were to be in Jerusalem when once

Ma'est

again there came "a voice from heaven" (John 12:28). However, the oc-

casion on the mount was different. They were far from the crowds, three

frail men upon a mountain with three who rank among history's greatest

spiritual leaders—Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. To say it was unique is a trite

understatement; it must be declared one of the supreme moments in uni-

versal history. It struck the note of triumph that was needed in the

shadow of the cross. It revealed that the Almighty was and is in control.

Peter and his companions saw and heard the resurrected Moses and the

translated Elijah talk with Jesus about His sacrifice while looking ahead

to His victory (Luke 9:31). Then there came the Father's voice acknowl-

edging His beloved Son. What assurance that recognition must have

brought to the disciples' hearts!

DAY III. APOSTOLIC ASSURANCE (2 Peter 1:18).

Confident witness.

We do not know how long the transfiguration scene

lasted, but it came at night while Jesus was immersed in prayer. Luke tells

us that "Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep," so

they would have been unconscious of the passage of time. But on waking

"they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him" (Luke 9:32).

(See also

The Desire of Ages,

pp. 420, 421.) That splendor they could

never forget. In addition, there was the voice, a voice from another

realm, reverberating over the mountaintop. It rang in their ears after the

figures of Moses and Elijah had disappeared. Its celestial tones remained

with them decades after they had gone down to the plain.

How does an eyewitness set about convincing others of the reality of

his unique experience? In Peter's case, two other trustworthy witnesses,

James and John, had participated in the remarkable scene. Although

James had been martyred and Peter and John were not often together

after Pentecost, Peter could at any time call upon John to corroborate his

account. He was therefore able to declare, "This voice which came from

heaven

heard." If John had been separately cross-examined, he would

have told the same story. This certainty allowed Peter to make his claim

still more emphatic: "We ourselves heard this voice that came from

heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain" (2 Peter 1:18,

NIV).

The link between the earthly and the heavenly, between the mountain

under their feet and the unearthly splendor surrounding the three daz-

zling figures, was the divine-human Jesus. The disciples were "with

him," with the One whom they knew and loved, although they often had

been puzzled as to His identity. A short while before the transfiguration

Peter had confessed, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God"

(Matt. 16:16). And now, here was resplendent proof that the insight he

had been given was correct.

What misunderstanding was evident in Peter's response at the time of the

transfiguration? Matt. 17:4.

Lesson" "`4`

"The disciples are confident that Moses and Elijah have been sent to

protect their Master, and to establish His authority as king.

"But before the crown must come the cross. Not the inauguration of

Christ as king, but the decease to be accomplished at Jerusalem, is the

subject of their conference with Jesus."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 422.

While two celestial citizens, Moses and Elijah, talked with the God-

man, Jesus, three mortals served as observers. This the mortals could do

because Jesus belonged to both heaven and earth. When the scene faded,

He would be peculiarly theirs again; then, after another six months or so,

a cloud would receive Him out of their sight and He would return to His

eternal Habitat—to that heavenly country where Moses and Elijah were

then living. During those intervening months, the trio must often have

recalled the revelation that had been granted them. When at last "a cloud

received him out of their sight" (Acts 1:9) they remained nearer to Him

because of the glimpse of His glory that had been granted them.

DAY REACT: Why are not more believers given the same kind of witness that the

three disciples received at the transfiguration? What contribution to under-

standing the answer can you gain from Paul's comparison in 2 Corinthians

4:18 of the unseen against the visible?

Our need of the awe-inspiring.

Every Christian needs the confidence

that can be gained from such other-worldly phenomena as Peter and his

companions experienced while on the mountaintop. We may not obtain it

with the dramatic directness that came to the privileged trio, but such

experiences should become so real through study and personal knowl-

edge of their actuality that we make them truly our own.

Scripture is rich in suggestion about such needs and how they may be

satisfied. In a most reassuring manner such experiences center on the

Person of Christ, but they derive from the Trinity and involve God the

Father and God the Spirit as well as God the Son. Examples are most

easily identified by scriptures that deal with particular and essential hap-

penings in the life of a Christian. The new birth is typical. Its essence is

stated by the Saviour Himself: "Except a man be born again, he cannot

see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). No physical act indicates the begin-

ning of such a spiritual new life. The miracle is internal, operating on the

level of the spirit and not on the body. Yet, "except a man be born of

water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John

3:5). Mary looked back to her awe-inspiring encounter with Gabriel and

ever remembered the words that changed her entire relation to life: "Fear

not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou

shalt . . . bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus" (Luke 1:30, 31).

True religion, far from rejecting such possibilities of the supernatural,

accepts and welcomes their proper manifestation.

THINK IT THROUGH:

Applying these convictions to our present-day

lives, we become aware of our own need for contact with Divinity. Each

of us needs his or her own individual miracle of grace. Its nature and time

and place of occurrence are not the principal issues. It is more important

to know for a certainty that we have met with God and have become

intensely aware of His holiness, His power, His love, His call, and His

personal interest in our welfare. The consciousness of having been in

contact with God personally is of inestimable value to us.

Moses had a thrilling personal contact with God as he drew near the

burning bush (Ex. 3:1-6) and, to an even greater degree as he met the

Lord in the tabernacle or on Sinai (Ex. 33:11; Deut. 34:10). Isaiah "saw

the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up," and could declare,

"Mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts" (Isa. 6:1, 5). Daniel

had his vision of "the Ancient of days" (Dan. 7:9, 10). When Saul of Tar-

sus journeyed from Jerusalem to Damascus, "suddenly there shined

round about him a light from heaven" (Acts 9:3)). Most of us do not expe-

rience such supernatural manifestations. It is much more common for

God to speak to us through the "still small voice." But all of us should

develop a sense of being in contact with God.

DAYFURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

Compare the transfiguration ac-

counts as given by Matthew (16:28 to 17:9), Mark (9:1-10), and Luke

(9:27-36) and consider the purpose that lay behind Peter's reference to

that event (2 Peter 1:16-18). Note that this is the only specific reference to

the transfiguration apart from the Gospel accounts.

For insights, information, and comment, read

The Desire of Ages,

pages 419 to 425;

S.D.A. Bible Commentary,

volume 5, pages 437 to 440;

volume 7, pages 600, 601.

Refresh your mind concerning Moses' death and resurrection (Deut.

34:1-6 and Jude 9), and Elijah's translation (2 Kings 2:1-11).

SUMMARY:

Many years had passed since the transfiguration, but Peter

could not forget that vivid and dramatic experience. Although we should

not necessarily expect spectacular manifestations such as the one Peter

saw, we each need our own personal sense of contact with or word from

the Lord of hosts. Our eyes need to see "the king in his beauty" and to

"behold the land that is very far off" (Isa. 33:17).

APPLICATION:

•

What personal inspiration have I gained from this fresh look at Christ's

majesty? How does it compare with that which Peter reports?

•

To what extent does materialism mold my life, to the exclusion of true

spirituality?

•

What have been the most intense spiritual experiences in my Christian

life? What blessings shall I gain by preserving my memory of them? In

addition to recollections of conversion, baptism, marriage, election to

church office, what other milestones in my spiritual career and Chris-

tian development are worthy of recall?

•

On what should my faith be based—supernatural experiences, Scrip-

ture, or my personal friendship with Christ?

•

Can those about me tell that I have had a personal experience with the

Lord?

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The Voice of Prophecy

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 2 Peter 1:19-21.

DAY

MEMORY TEXT: "The prophecy came not in old time by the will of

man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy

Ghost" (2 Peter 1:21).

CENTRAL THOUGHT:

Although we have not been eyewitnesses of

Christ's majesty, the Word of God and, in particular, its prophetic pas-

sages can bring us a similar revelation along with inspiration and convic-

tion. Therefore we ought to study that Word diligently.

OVERVIEW-2 Peter 1:19-21

Verse 19

Until the second coming we have God's revelation

given through the prophetic word as a sure means of

guidance and authority.

Verses 20, 21

This revelation was not the product of human minds

but came from and only can be understood fully

through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

INTRODUCTION:

As we ourselves study the Scriptures, it is well to dis-

cover and remember to whom they were written, the purpose behind

their composition, and the circumstances under which they were com-

posed. It is not always easy to satisfy those requirements, but we should

do our best to meet them. In our present study we are accepting the prob-

ability that Peter's second message is addressed to those who received his

first epistle. We do well, then, to become acquainted with what life was

like for those early Christians in Asia Minor and to remember the setting

in which they practiced their newfound religion. Some of them may have

been expatriate Jews who were spread throughout the Mediterranean

world and the Middle East by what is known as the Diaspora or disper-

sion. These people would be acquainted with those Scriptures that we

call the Old Testament. They would also face the subtle and insistent dan-

ger of being influenced by the pagan philosophies that swirled around

them and would need constant recourse to the central teachings of their

Christian faith.

Other members of the scattered congregations had come out of pagan-

ism and had many superstitions to overcome and much morality to learn.

However, they had become acquainted with the law and the prophets

and, accepting them as the word of God, had built their Christian faith on

the foundations of those Scriptures. Recognizing these varied needs,

Peter shared with both groups the revelation of his Master's glory as he

saw it revealed on "the holy mount," and directed them to the additional

and wider inspiration that comes from "prophecy of the scripture."

Peter's experience.

At this juncture we might well pause to review the

miracle of the apostle's own development. He came from Bethsaida, a

fishing village on the northeastern shore of Lake Galilee. As was natural,

he became a fisherman, and probably had little formal education. Al-

though Galilee was not noted for its religious fervor, Peter and his fellows

must have benefited from synagogue instruction to such an extent that

when his brother Andrew announced, "We have found the Messias"

(John 1:41), Peter believed and followed the Man from Nazareth.

At that stage his theology was limited, but association with the Master

Teacher widened and deepened his understanding of true religion. By the

time of Pentecost, and equipped by the Holy Spirit, he was able to draw

enough on what he had learned to be able to fill the role of chief spokes-

man for the infant church. About 35 years later his pastoral and apostolic

experience gave him still wider knowledge of Scripture and profound in-

sights into its teachings. Today we benefit from his spiritual gifts.

DAY I. HEED THE PROPHETIC LIGHT (2 Peter 1:19).



How is the transfiguration linked to the certainty of Bible prophecy?

2 Peter 1:18, 19.

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy."

We should resist the

temptation to see in these words a pitting of prophecy against the transfig-

uration scene. The original wording may not warrant such an interpreta-

tion. It can be understood to say, "We have the prophetic word [made]

more sure," that is, the mountaintop revelation of the Master's divinity

confirmed all that the prophets had foretold concerning the Redeemer.

There could be no higher revelation than that—it was an unveiling of the

Son's eternal glory, which was His before time began. The disciples'

glimpse of that majesty made every detail of related Old Testament

prophecy vividly significant. Not only could they say, "This

voice . . . we heard"; they could just as emphatically declare, "This

glory we saw."

"Whereunto ye do well that ye take heed."

This unforgettable experi-

ence increased the disciples' appreciation for Bible prophecy and

prompted them to recommend it to their converts who could not expect

to have such an experience. Peter tells his friends: You will do well to give

earnest attention to the prophetic word. He explained his reason for that

counsel, basing it on prophecy's ability to throw beams of light into dark

murky places.

COMPARE with Deuteronomy 8:3; Amos 3:7; Matthew 22:29; and John

7:17.

"As unto a light that shineth in a dark place."

The lamps of those days

were small clay vessels holding oil that fed a lighted wick. The shining

refers to the bringing of light to dispel darkness. The dark or dusty, needy

place probably refers to the pagan world in which the believers lived, but

it also may refer to the unknown track we all have to tread. The lamp

sheds sufficient light to show the traveler the right path to take. As the

psalmist said, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my

path" (Ps. 119:105). In either case, true prophecy, contained in the Word

of God, in both the Old and New Testaments, does throw valuable light

on the present and on the unexplored road that lies before each one of us.

The Lord has given the light of prophecy to show us the right road, to

illumine its dangers and its delights, and to guide us safely to our destina-

tion—that far country where we shall have no need of the light of the sun,

for the "Lord God giveth them light" (Rev. 22:5). No wonder the apostle

recommends that his flock give thorough study to Bible prophecy. Its is-

sues concern eternity and the Christian's relation to it.

DAY



For how long and why will prophecy be needed? Verse 19.

its final clauses verse 19 makes it clear that the beneficent ministry

of prophecy will be needed until the end, either the end of the individual

life, or the end of human history. The wording, while capable of more

than one interpretation, does refer to a future event and does focus on

individual involvement in that event. It speaks of a time during which

prophecy will function—"until the day dawn." The word used for

"dawn" can be more literally translated as "shine through," and refers to

the time when light shines through darkness as it does at the dawn of each

new day. The following phrase throws a light on the significance of the

previous phrase by adding to the definition, saying, "and a day star arise

in your hearts." The only New Testament use of the term

day star

is that

found in this verse, but other passages such as Luke 1:78 ("dayspring"),

Revelation 2:28 ("morning star") and Revelation 22:16 ("bright and

morning star") support the interpretation that

day star

refers to Christ.

What a beautiful way of depicting the illumination that flooded the

minds of those who accepted Jesus as the Light of their world! Their new-

found religion rose far above the best morality that paganism could offer

and flooded their souls with brilliant spiritual light.

What does Peter refer to in his use of the expression "until the day

dawn"?

He refers to the second coming of Christ as the climax to which most

prophecies point. After the second coming God's people will not need the

Scriptures, for they will talk to Him face to face.

The New Testament reveals that the early Christians expected their

Lord's soon return. This was a natural and commendable hope, based on

their understanding of Christ's own promises and the apostles' early ex-

pectations. In this sense, the "day star" of hope concerning Christ's re-

turn arose in their hearts and encouraged them in the Christian way. The

passage of time later led them to see that the second advent might lie

farther in the future than either they or their teachers had first expected.

(See

S.D.A. Bible Commentary, vol.

7, pp. 728-730 for more detailed

comment on the deferred hope.)



Warning of a Danger Involved.

Mention of prophecy (verse 19) leads

the writer to warn his readers against an ever-present danger in respect to

prophecy. His warning is emphatic: "Knowing this first," that is, "keep

this principle in the forefront of your thinking" as you seek to interpret

prophecy. What principle? That "no prophecy of scripture [there is no

article in the original] is of any private interpretation," or, literally, "of

ones's own untying." Those words have been subject to at least two inter-

pretations. The first suggests that prophets are not to intrude their own

interpretations into the giving of the messages received from God. They

are faithfully to deliver the prophetic words without adding their own un-

derstanding of their import. The second and more widely held view is that

individual Christians are not to foist upon the church their personal inter-

pretations of prophetic messages. The second choice seems more appro-

priate in the context of verse 19 and in the light of what is said about false

prophets in chapter 2.

What was Peter talking about in his day when he made his declaration

concerning prophecy? 2 Peter 1:20.

The reference is clearly to the Old Testament Scriptures—the main

body of canonical writings known to the church in Peter's day. Those

scriptures were confirmed by Christ's ministry and supported by the

transfiguration scene when two Old Testament prophets, Moses and Eli-

jah, appeared with Jesus on the mountain.

What current application can be made of Peter's declaration?

The apostle's words carry a weighty and relevant message for people

today who are exposed to so many bewildering winds of interpretation,

even more than were Peter's readers, for we have both the Old and New

Testament prophecies and 1900 years more of speculation with which to

contend. We need to study each prophecy in the total biblical setting to

ensure that our understanding harmonizes with the complete prophetic

pattern. The inspired counsel should also help to prevent us from riding

"hobby horses" on particular portions of prophecy to the exclusion or

distortion of the whole trend of divine revelation. We need to look at the

total picture in order to grasp the entire story that it is seeking to tell.

Having applied Peter's advice in the above ways, we also need to ac-

knowledge two things: (1) how much we still have to learn about the fu-

ture, and (2) how much we need to shun "private interpretations," recog-

nizing our inability to foretell what will happen tomorrow and, still less,

the exact course of more distant events, even those that are most clearly

included in the grand sweep of Bible prophecy.

DAY

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II. A PRINCIPLE OF INTERPRETATION (2 Peter 1:20).

DAY NOTE: After dwelling on the thought of "private interpretation," it

should be acknowledged that the next verse (verse 21) is not dealing with

that aspect. Therefore, we need to make room for seeing also in verse 20

a reference to the origin of prophecy and to make an effort to forge a close

link between the two verses.

HI. THE SOURCE OF PROPHECY (2 Peter 1:21).

Although prophecy plays such an important role in biblical literature,

its origin and the way it was communicated to humanity lie largely unex-

plained until we read these words from Peter's pen. Here, in a nutshell,

reveals the source of authentic prophecy. First comes the negative

statement, literally translated: "Not by the will of man was carried [or

brought] prophecy at any time." Indeed, as the record confirms, proph-

ecy was sometimes proclaimed against some person's will—even at times

against the will of the human agent who was conveying it. Three illustra-

tions will suffice: Balaam (Numbers 22 to 24), Jeremiah (1:1-10), and Jo-

nah (1:1-3). Even the men and women who accepted prophetic roles did

not do so from personal choice but in response to a direct call from God;

often while protesting their own inadequacies, as did Moses (Ex. 3:11;

4:10-16) and Isaiah (6:5-8). Even willing spokesmen, such as Hosea, Joel,

Micah, Zephaniah, and Haggai, made it clear that they were not speaking

their own thoughts, but "the word of the Lord." Not one of the genuine

prophecies that are preserved in the Old Testament came as the result of

the prophet's own forecasts.

What did David confess that illustrates how the prophets viewed them-

selves in regard to being the Lord's mouthpiece? 2 Sam. 23:2.

Sober thought convinces the Bible student that it could not be other-

wise. Noah could not have foreseen the arrival of such a hitherto un-

known phenomenon as rain, still less the resultant flood. In the early

sixth century B.C., at the height of the Babylonian power, Daniel could

not have seen beyond his own day to foretell the rise of Medo-Persia,

Greece, and Rome.

DAY



To whom does Peter, in verse 21, attribute the origin of true prophecy and

how does inspiration function?

It fell to Peter to crystallize such an insight in the authoritative words

that close this first chapter: "But holy men of God spake as they were

moved by the Holy Ghost." Those words are momentous enough to de-

mand our close attention. The word translated

but

is an emphatic one,

implying that far from prophecy's originating in human sources, it came

from an infinitely higher Source, namely, the Holy Spirit. The verb

rendered

moved

in the King James Version was sometimes used in a nau-

tical setting in Peter's day. In Acts 27:15, 17 it is rendered "we let

. . . drive" and "were driven," with reference to the ship on which Paul

and the Rome-bound party were traveling, which ran before a tempestu-

ous wind (verse 14). The apostle's use of the same word in connection

with the giving of prophecy suggests that the Holy Spirit came upon the

prophets with a driving force, giving them their message from God that

they in turn felt impelled by a force outside themselves to pass on to their

people. The entire final phrase of verse 21 might then be translated: "To

the contrary, impelled by the Holy Spirit men spoke from God." There is

no word "holy" attached to "men" in the original, and the words "from

God" refer not so much to the prophets as to the message that God gave

them to share with His people.

The same concluding phrase throws light on the way that inspiration

worked on the prophet. The messenger believed himself to be God's in-

strument. He did not create the message; it was given him by God, and it

was his mission to share it with those for whom the Lord intended it. But

the prophet expressed that message in his own words, in language that

was best suited to his audience or readership. The message passed

through the mechanism of his own mind and personality and bore the

impress of his own individuality. That process gives us the vastly differing

styles of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, although each prophet delivered

messages that were given directly by the Holy Spirit.

What additional light does Paul throw on the way inspiration works?

2 Tim. 3:16.

ILLUMINATION:

"The union of the divine and human, manifest in

Christ, exists also in the Bible. The truths revealed are all 'given by inspi-

ration of God;' yet they are expressed in the words of men and are

adapted to human needs. Thus it may be said of the Book of God, as it

was of Christ, that 'the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.' And

this fact, so far from being an argument against the Bible, should

strengthen faith in it as the word of God. Those who pronounce upon the

inspiration of the Scriptures, accepting some portions as divine while

they reject other parts as human, overlook the fact that Christ, the divine,

partook of our human nature, that he might reach humanity. In the work

of God for man's redemption, divinity and humanity are combined."—

Testimonies , vol.

5, p. 747.

While Peter's concern has been the origin of Scripture prophecy, he has

dealt mainly with the manner in which the prophets received and deliv-

ered their divinely given messages (verse 21). We are then indebted to

Paul for enlightenment concerning the

written

Word. He states that "all

scripture is given by inspiration of God," thereby making God the ulti-

mate Author of the complete biblical message.

NOTES:

'Ulka



Pro ec

DAY FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION: "Inspiration as a spiritual phe-

nomenon is not common to all believers, but is divinely reserved for spe-

cially authorized bearers of God's message. This does not, however, im-

ply that the message transmitted by chosen prophets and apostles is a

product of mechanical divine dictation. Inspiration neither suppresses

the personalities of the writers, nor puts an end to their human fallibility.

Although prophets and apostles remained fallible men who shared the

culture of their times, God nonetheless revealed to them information be-

yond their natural resources, and what they taught as doctrine has its

basis in the Holy Spirit as ultimate author of their message."—Carl F H.

Henry, "Inspiration," in

New International Dictionary of the Christian

Church,

ed. J. D. Douglas (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing

House, 1974), p. 512.

"We need divine illumination, the interior grace that moves man to give

his free assent to the external Word that confronts him. A grace that in-

vites belief, moves to faith, and makes us eager to find God, to obey Him

and to be faithful to Him. This is a light not from below but from above,

which enables us to read the Bible with fresh and ever deeper understand-

ing, precisely because it has been received as the revealed and inspired

Word.

"When we approach the Bible in this way, with the inner resources of a

profound Christian awareness, its text seems to be lighted from within.

The Word of God no longer confronts me as external to myself, as an

object to be analyzed and dissected. It is a living arrow that pierces my

heart, a sharp sword that penetrates to the joints and the marrow (see

Heb. 4:12). The Word of God ceases to be an object, a thing. I see it as

something alive. In and through the Word, God addresses me personally,

not simply as an echo of the past but as a Word speaking now. I find words

in the Bible I no longer simply read but that speak to me, introducing me

to the crucial drama of life, the conflict between truth and falsehood, life

and death, and communicate the message that God redeems those who

trust in His mercy."—Raoul Dederen, "Revelation, Inspiration, and

Hermeneutics," in

A Symposium on Biblical Hermeneutics,

ed. Gordon

M. Hyde (Washington, D.C.: Biblical Research Institute of the General

Conference, 1974), p. 13.

Consider Moses' style in Deuteronomy 6, David's in Psalm 139, Isa-

iah's in Isaiah 40, Daniel's in Daniel 7, and John's in Revelation 21. Listen

appreciatively to the differing music that emerges as the Holy Spirit plays

on the variety of instruments He has selected.

SUMMARY: God speaks to us through His chosen human instruments.

We must pay careful attention to His spoken Word and then allow the

same Holy Spirit that inspired Bible writers to help us apply what we

have learned.

APPLICATION:

•

What is my concept of the role of prophecy in my life?

•

What light has prophecy brought into my everyday program?

•

How brilliantly is the Day Star shining in my life?

•

What light does that Day Star bring to my neighbors?

Beware of FaIlse Teachers

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 2 Peter 2:1-9.

DAY

MEMORY TEXT: "The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but



the way of the ungodly shall perish" (Ps. 1:6).

CENTRAL THOUGHT: At

no time in its earthly history can the church

expect to enjoy a trouble-free career. Its enemy will seek to seduce its

members by heretical teachings; but being forewarned can mean being

forearmed.

OVERVIEW-2 Peter 2:1-9

Verses 1, 2

DESTRUCTIVE

HERESIES

False prophets not only have introduced heresies

to God's people but will continue to do so. Chris-

tians who follow such teachings bring discredit

on God's church.

Verses 3-8

HERESY'S

FRUITAGE

False teachers are motivated by covetousness, and

the certainty of their judgment is illustrated by:

the fate of the angels.

the destruction of the wicked in the Flood.

the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Verses 5-9

GOD'S

MERCIES

Yet, because God's mercy delivered Noah and Lot

from the judgments mentioned, believers can

rely on God's wise administration of justice

mixed with mercy.

INTRODUCTION:

In chapter 1, Peter has offered the churches positive

spiritual instruction to inspire them in faithful Christian living and wit-

nessing. He now exercises the gift of prophecy and shares his foresights

with them. He foresees that past history will be reproduced, in different

forms, among the maturing congregations; and he earnestly forewarns

them of those coming dangers (2:1-3).

To understand the true intent of those warnings we need to remember

the background against which the early Christian churches were estab-

lished. They were set in a world that was almost entirely pagan. The only

exceptions were the faithful Jews who worshiped the one true God in the

area we know as Palestine, and the communities of similar Jews who

were scattered in almost every section of the Roman Empire. Therefore,

when the apostles preached the gospel outside of Palestine, their con-

verts were initially drawn from Jewish congregations who shared a com-

mon Abrahamic and Mosaic background with Christians. Gradually they

appealed to the finer spirits in pagan communities, those who were hun-

gering for something higher and holier than their own mythical and often

disreputable deities. In addition, there were the honest agnostics who re-

jected the pagan gods while being dimly aware of the need for a faith that

would be more satisfying than any that they had yet discovered.

As always, there were cranks and extremists who distorted even the

best teachings of any group to which they were attracted. Judaism al-

ready had suffered from such, and by the first century A.D. it had gath-

ered many unbiblical teachings to itself. Heathen cults gave birth to bi-

zarre philosophies that centered on many gods. Their offspring were

demon worship and licentiousness that was encouraged and practiced un-

der the guise of religion. The morality of the practitioners of such reli-

gions could rise no higher than the level of their degraded sources.

Because of the normal influx of half-converted pagans and the laxity of

some of its members, the infant church could not remain untouched by

such closely surrounding influences from without and by disruptive

forces from within. The New Testament shows that from its early days

the church was disturbed by non-Christian influences. Paul was troubled

by Elymas the sorcerer, Jupiter worshipers in Lystra, the soothsaying

damsel in Philippi, the philosophers at Athens, the exorcists at Ephesus,

and by supporters of Artemis (whom the Romans named Diana) of the

Ephesians. After Paul and other apostles had passed on their way, leaving

the newly founded churches to the leadership of others, it is not surpris-

ing that the fledgling congregations also came under attack from rival

forces within.

Peter was well aware of the dangers that assailed his beloved converts

and friends, and warned them, in considerable detail, about the teachings

that might weaken or destroy their faith.

DAY I. DESTRUCTIVE HERESIES (2 Peter 2:1, 2).

False teachers.

In the previous chapter Peter expressed his complete

faith in the messages given by God through His prophets (1:19-21). Much

of that ministry already had been recorded in the Old Testament Scrip-

tures that Moses began in the second millennium B.C. and Malachi com-

pleted almost 500 years before Peter wrote. The "holy men of God" had

not been unopposed in their work. In chapter 2, Peter reminded his fellow

Christians that there were, even then, "false prophets among the peo-

ple"; that is, among the chosen people. From the day when the deceiver

uttered his falsehood, "Ye shall not surely die" (Gen. 3:4), there had been

no lack of those who were ready to contradict the warnings, the reproofs,

and the statements of fact that God conveyed to His people through His

servants the prophets.

EXAMPLES: Miriam and Aaron were numbered among the waverers

at least once, as were ten of the twelve spies (Numbers 12 to 14). Moses

had to warn Israel against such deceptions during the wilderness

wanderings (Deut. 13:1-5). In the days of the judges and throughout the

later years of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel similar troubles plagued

rulers and people. (See 1 Kings 22 for example.) The effects of Jeremiah's

ministry were often weakened by rival prophets who falsely foretold

peace instead of the destruction that came upon Judah (Jer. 14:13-16;

28:1-17; 29:30-32), while Micah and Zephaniah felt compelled to warn

against similar apostates (Micah 3:5-12; Zeph. 3:4).

What application to his readers does Peter make of Israel's past experi-

ences with false prophets? 2 Peter 2:1.

Peter's awareness of the dangers that confronted church members was

doubtless heightened by his Lord's warning that "many false prophets

shall rise, and shall deceive many" (Matt. 24:11) and that deception

would continue to plague the church until the end of time (Matt. 24:23-

27). For the most part, the apostle wrote in the future tense saying,

"There

shall be

false teachers among you" (2 Peter 2:1, emphasis sup-

plied). Later in the chapter (verse 10 and following) Peter uses the present

tense to indicate that he was well acquainted with the troublemakers'

aims and methods. The state of the churches seemed to be fairly firm at

the time he wrote; but, beyond doubt, disturbers would arise. Therefore,

he did his best to alert the believers to the dangers that threatened them.

NOTE

that the "false" ones that shall come are not called prophets but

"teachers." This may suggest that they will not introduce new doctrines

or lay claim to prophetic visions, but will distort those already received

by the Christian congregations. We would hope that the apostle's

warnings were so well heeded as to save many in the churches from being

deceived. The language is specific enough to justify the hope that his firm

words enabled his readers to identify false teachings. With that hope, we

can now turn to examine briefly some of their distortions.

DAY



What reason do you see for the strong language used to identify the evil

that comes from false teachings? 2 Peter 2:1, 2.

False teachings.

The phrase "privily shall bring in" may be rendered

literally "shall bring in alongside," or could be translated "introduce se-

cretly or maliciously." In Galatians 2:4 a similar word is translated as "un-

awares brought in," confirming the impression that the deceivers, like the

false prophets, far from being imported from outside, arose among the

believers themselves. The strong accusation that they would secretly in-

troduce "damnable heresies" may be more accurately and acceptably ex-

pressed as "destructive heresies" or "heresies that lead to perdition."

Here we may pause to suggest a definition of "heresy" and to apply

that to the conditions that Peter foresaw. The Greek word used is capable

of several applications. It was used for the capturing of a town, or a tak-

ing for oneself, therefore "choosing" or "choice." It also came to refer to

a philosophy, the style of thought, thence to a "sect" (see Acts 24:5), and

thus to unorthodox teaching (Acts 24:1.4), and, as in Christian usage, to

"heresy."

NOTE how the early church made use of the term, employing it for disrup-

tive teachings. Gal. 5:20; 1 Cor. 11:19.

In 2 Peter 2:1 the term is used specifically for teachings that are judged

to be unacceptable to the church. Some of these can be identified from

what follows in the second chapter—denial of Christ as divine Redeemer

(verse 1), promoting conduct unworthy of a Christian (verse 2), and mak-

ing merchandise of believers, that is, using them for the teachers' own

profit (verse 3) or for immoral ends (verses 10, 13, 14, 18). Unfortunately,

such teachings were not limited to Peter's time. They seem to have

started a trend that has appeared many times in subsequent church his-

tory.

Effect of False Teachings.

As we look at the teachings Peter mentions,

their destructive nature is readily apparent. First and worst is the denial

of "the Lord that bought them." The seducers must at one time have ac-

knowledged Christ as their sovereign Lord and have been numbered

among those who had been "bought" by His redeeming sacrifice. (The

same word for "bought" is used in 1 Corinthians 6:20—"ye are bought

with a price.") Later, for undisclosed reasons, they apostatized to the

point of denying the divinity of Him "who is the image of the invisible

God" (Col. 1:15). (Compare 1 John 2:18-22.) What worse accusation

could be leveled against any professing Christian? Peter, remembering his

own cowardly denial, must have formed that phrase with deep contrition

as well as strong conviction. He must have shrunk from seeing others

follow his shameful example and must have exerted all his spiritual pow-

ers to turn them from such denial. Unless they repented of their blas-

phemy, their fate was sealed, not by any arbitrary act on God's part, but

because their conduct would "bring upon themselves swift destruction"

(compare Phil. 3:18, 19), that is, eternal death.

DAY The effect of evildoing rarely falls on the sinner alone. Who else suffers?

2 Peter 2:2.

Others also suffer. In this case Peter sees that "many shall follow their

pernicious ways" (2 Peter 2:2). The original wording calls for a more spe-

cific description of the false teachers' conduct, the reference being to "li-

centious conduct" or "sexual debaucheries" or "dissolute practices"

(NEB). This translation is confirmed by the writer's later charges of

"filthy conversation" (verse 7) or "immoral conduct" (TEV) and to "lusts

of the flesh" in verse 18. Such a life-style harms not only the wrongdoers

but those who copy their lamentable example. In this case Peter foresees

that many otherwise faithful church members would be led into sin. If

teachers, claiming to be divinely commissioned, commit heinous sin, it is

hardly surprising that those who look to them for models will follow their

example. Satan always has played on sexual allurement, from Noah's day

(Gen. 6:1-5) throughout Israel's history (Ex. 32:1-6, 19, 25; Num. 25:1-9;

2 Sam. 11:1-5; 1 Kings 14:21-24), into the history of the early church, and

on to our own day. We should listen carefully to what history tells us.

THINK IT THROUGH: How widespread is the influence of immoral con-

duct among Christians today? What special dangers beset present-day

Christians?

Truth maligned.

The harboring of false teaching raises the danger that

the church will fall into disrepute. That danger is great indeed when the

heresies foster immorality; for, no matter how tolerant the world may be

of its own who break its moral standards, it is quick to scorn those who

profess Christianity while flouting its extremely high ideals.

Peter, then, is touching upon a sensitive spot when he asserts that "the

way of truth shall be evil spoken of" because of those who have followed

"pernicious ways" or "dissolute practices." The words "by reason of

whom" may apply either to the false teachers or to those who have fallen

prey to their wiles. It is possible that both classes are included, for both

bring the church into disrepute.

The phrase "the way of truth" refers to the church, as it also does in

Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22 where it simply is identified as "the

way." The wider definition here, "the way of truth," stands in stark con-

trast to the falsehood of the heretical teachers and exalts the Head of the

church who is Himself "the way" and "the truth" (John 14:6). This brings

added encouragement for us as Christians to live truthfully.

DAY H. HERESY'S FRUITAGE (2 Peter 2:3-8).

How does Peter clearly unmask the false teachers' disguise? 2 Peter 2:3.

The false teachers earn condemnation not only because of their the-

ological abberations, serious and dangerous as those are, but also be-

cause of weakness in character. They are covetous or greedy. This trait

leads them to prey on their dupes. They employ "feigned" or false words,

the original adjective being that from which we derive our term "plastic,"

in the sense of imitation as distinct from the genuine. They do this for

mercenary ends. They have taken up the Christian religion not because of

sincere conviction but because of what they can gain from it.

In Peter's world, as in ours, many hypocritical religionists profess

Christianity only because of the material profit that they obtain from it,

whether in money, property, or free board and lodging. To this end, those

who would plague Peter's congregations would "make merchandise of"

them. From the Greek root for this expression comes the English word

emporium—a

large store, a market, a house of merchandise. This vividly

illustrates the mercenary motives that lead false and covetous teachers to

manipulate the faithful for personal gain. What can be more despicable?

Their unmasking in these verses should warn all ministers and church

employees to resist the temptation to enrich themselves at the expense of

the membership and to be transparently honest at all times.

There is light on the horizon. These merchants will not be allowed to

operate undisturbed. Their "judgment" or punishment is assured, and

will not be delayed long. As promised in verse 1, "swift destruction"

awaits them. In verse 3, Peter uses the same word as Matthew employs in

recording the parable of the ten virgins who "slumbered" while the bride-

groom tarried (Matt. 25:5). The assurance here is that the destruction of

the false teachers will not become drowsy or fail. Their end is certain.

This assurance must have strengthened those who would suffer from

their attentions.

THINK IT THROUGH: What can we who read these words today learn

from Peter's counsel?

What three illustrations are given concerning the inevitability of God's

judgments? 2 Peter 2:4-8.

I. Rebellious Angels (verse 4).

The point here is that, if God did not

spare the hitherto sinless angels when they sinned, He will not pass over

the sins of the false teachers. The fallen angels were "consigned to

Tartarus" and "gloomy dungeons" (NIV), presumably until judgment

day. What a bleak outlook for those who lead God's children astray!

The Antediluvian World (verse 5).

This illustration refers to the

Flood that destroyed the antediluvian world, and from which only Noah

and his family were saved through belief in God's warning word (Gen.

6:5-22). In citing this brighter side of the fearful flood, Peter encourages

Christians to persevere in righteousness instead of succumbing to general

godlessness. They should emulate Noah, "a preacher" or "a herald" of

righteousness who preached by deed as well as by word.

Sodom and Gomorrah (verse 6-8).

The dissolute cities of Sodom

and Gomorrah were burned to ashes because of their wicked ways. Yet,

as Peter implies, this need not have been. The angels who warned Abra-

ham and Lot about the imminent destruction of the two cities also

searched those towns for inhabitants who would repent and escape the

holocaust (Gen. 18:20-32). Only four residents qualified. They were Lot,

his wife, and their two daughters (Gen. 19:15, 16); and even their spiritual

caliber was frail. Yet the Lord, in His generous mercy, described Lot as

being "just" and "vexed" by the dissolute conduct of his neighbors. Lot

certainly was far from perfect. The Bible story pictures him as being

weak and selfish, choosing to dwell among the ungodly. Never

iheless, he

accepted the divine offer of salvation from the destruction to be visited on

Sodom. These negative and positive aspects of his character offer both

warning and encouragement for us today.

DAY III. GOD'S MERCIES (2 Peter 2:5-9).

Fearing that his readers might become discouraged by reading of the

false teachers and their evil influence, Peter includes pOsitive encourage-

ment that is based on his knowledge of the Lord's qualities.

Where and how do we find deliverance from temptation? 2 Peter 2:9, first

part.

Peter may have been recalling Jesus' prayer asking the Father to "lead

us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Matt. 6:13). The petition

embodies two aspects of deliverance from temptation. The first keeps us

out of trouble; the second rescues us from temptation's toils should we

have fallen into them. This should serve to remind us, as one writer has

well expressed it, that "Christianity is no insurance policy against the

trials of life." But we should note that even the "godly" need deliverance

from temptation.

Having made these general observations based on the standard transla-

tions of 2 Peter 2:9, we turn to consider other emphases and possible in-

terpretations.

"The Lord knoweth" stresses God's total knowledge, even of evil, for

"all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we

have to do" (Heb. 4:13). He is therefore well able to care for His own, the

"godly" or "God-fearing" or "devout," being constantly alert to their sit-

uations—be they comfortable or otherwise.

The word translated "temptations" may also be expressed as "trial,"

referring to the trouble that comes from the ungodly. This reminds us of

the psalmist's assurance: "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and

delivereth them out of all their troubles. . . . Many are the afflictions of

the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all" (Ps. 34:17-19).

Peter already has illustrated these truths by referring to the rescue of

Noah and Lot from their dire emergencies (2 Peter 2:5, 7).

Warning.

As surely as the Lord is able to deliver the godly from their

troubles, so He is certain to reserve or keep the wicked unto the final day

of judgment to be punished (verse 9). The words "to be punished" would

relegate punishment to a future date, but a more accurate translation ren-

ders the relevant word as "being punished." This implies that the disturb-

ers of the faith, for Peter still has the false teachers in mind, receive some

of their punishment during this life, prior to judgment day. Some may ap-

pear to flourish as a green bay tree (Ps. 37:35), but their lives are by no

means a bed of roses, and the day of judgment awaits them.

DAYFURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

Relate the second paragraph on

page 478 of

The Desire of Ages

to Peter's counsel as discussed in this

week's lesson.

SUMMARY:

False teachers always have been used and will continue to

be used by Satan to disrupt if possible the work and progress of God's

church. Many will be led astray by them; but, in order to be ensnared by

false teachings, they will have to ignore the clear warning that God gave

the church through Peter and the warnings that He continues to give the

church today.

APPLICATION:

•

How susceptible am Ito subversive teachings?

•

What progress have I made during the past year in understanding ma-

jor Christian doctrines?

•

How is the "way of truth" spoken of by those who observe my way of

life?

•

How faithfully do I fortify my soul and mind through regular Bible

study and prayer?

Contrasting Fates

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 2 Peter 2:9-16.

MEMORY TEXT:

"Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle?

Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness,

And speaketh the truth in his heart" (Ps. 15:1, 2).

CENTRAL THOUGHT: "Righteousness

exalts a nation [or, an individual]

but sin is a disgrace to any people" (Prov. 14:34, NIV).

OVERVIEW

Contrasting Fates-2 Peter 2:9-16

Group

Present Fate

Ultimate Fate

Righteous

Delivered from

temptation

Deliverance

Heretics

Destroyed by their

own corruption

Judged by their

own judgment

Sensual appetite

cannot be

satisfied

Neither can greed

Balaam's actions

serve as an example

Shall utterly perish

INTRODUCTION:

Does it bother you when you hear about someone in

the church teaching something contrary to the fundamental doctrines that

characterize the Adventist Church? It is clear that Peter is filled with

indignation as he thinks about the devastation that might be wrought in

his beloved Christian assemblies by the work of unprincipled teachers.

Yet his first thought, remembering the Lord's power to deliver from evil,

is positive and encouraging, both to him and his readers. At the same

time, he is no less sure about the punishment of the unjust (verse 9). By

way of warning, and in an outpouring of indignation directed primarily at

heretical teachers, he lists the latter's shortcomings, showing them to in-

clude sensuality, flouting and defamation of authority, rudeness, an ex-

cessive love of pleasure, and covetousness. He contrasts their rebellious

DAY

attitudes to those of angels who refrain from judging the rebels. The sinful

ways of the unprincipled teachers remind him of Balaam's conduct.

That portrayal of evil—and evil it must be called as we see the damage

it produces in the lives of people everywhere—does not have merely his-

torical value. It has been preserved as part of inspired Scripture "for our

admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (1 Cor. 10:11). It

will serve as a touchstone to enable us to discern between good and evil,

to avoid theological and spiritual pitfalls, and to hold fast in the church to

"whatsoever things are true, . . . whatsoever things are pure, whatso-

ever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report" (Phil. 4:8).

This lesson should not lead us to point the finger of scorn at some per-

son we might consider less godly or less orthodox than ourselves. Instead

it should cause us to look within at the fountain from which our thoughts

and actions spring. A knowledge of true doctrine is not enough to keep us

from the kind of heresy that concerns Peter. Christ must control our

thoughts and motives.

DAY I. DELIVERANCE OR JUDGMENT? (2 Peter 2:9, 10).

Verse 9 draws the contrast between the fate of the righteous and the

fate of the wicked in the final judgment but is most concerned with what

happens to both groups in the present life.

What does the Lord "know," and how effective is His ability to put this

knowledge into practice?

The Lord is portrayed here as "knowing" two things: (1) how to deliver

the godly out of temptation, and (2) how to reserve the unjust unto the

day of judgment to be punished.

Delivering the godly out of temptation.

"Temptation" here refers both

to enticement to sin and the trials that come upon those who steadfastly

resist sin. In verses 5 and 7 Peter cites the illustrations of Noah and Lot.

Peter might have spoken from personal experience. If he had done so, he

could have mentioned his denial of Christ and how Jesus had warned him

of what he would do, thus helping him withstand the discouragement that

followed his denial. He also could have mentioned his deliverance from

prison recorded in Acts 12:5-17.

ILLUMINATION: "To

all who are reaching out to feel the guiding hand of

God, the moment of greatest discouragement is the time when divine help

is nearest. They will look back with thankfulness upon the darkest part of

their way. 'The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly.' 2 Peter 2:9. From

every temptation and every trial He will bring them forth with firmer faith

and a richer experience."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 528.

Reserving the unjust unto the day ofjudgment.

Peter has illustrated this

fact in what happened at the Flood (verse 5) and to Sodom and Gomorrah

(verse 6). The "day of judgment" is to be equated with the "day of the

Lord" (2 Peter 3:7, 10).

ILLUMINATION: "To be punished.

Literally, 'being punished.' There are

two well-defined schools of thought concerning Peter's theology:

"1.

That the participle 'being punished' expresses purpose, as re-

flected in the translation 'to be punished,' that is, for the purpose of being

punished. This explanation assigns the punishment here mentioned to the

day of judgment.

"2.

That the participle should be translated 'while being punished,'

with reference to the retribution that sin brings to the unjust during their

earthly lives. This interpretation accords more closely with the first half

of v. 9, according to which the godly are delivered from the temptations

and trials that beset them in this life. But the unjust, at the same time, are

suffering as a result of their misdeeds."—S.D.A.

Bible Commentary, vol.

7, pp. 606, 607.

DAY



What does Peter add to his thorough list of the "lawless deeds" or

shortcomings of the heretical teachers? 2 Peter 2:10.

At this point we might think that Peter has said all that is needed about

the ungodly teachers; but no, he has much more to add, hence the words

"but chiefly" or "especially" (NIV). Beginning with verse 10, he enlarges

on their despicable characters. They are "them that walk after the flesh,"

that is, they pursue fleshly pleasures to the exclusion of higher concerns.

(Compare Rom. 8:1-8.) In the New Testament "flesh" is the opposite of

"spirit" and refers to the lower nature in which animal desire dominates

over the spiritual. In this case, the renegade teachers are said to "indulge

the flesh in its corrupt desires" (NASB). Some read a reference to homo-

sexuality in Peter's strong words, although they are not as explicit as

Paul's in Romans 1:24-27. Nevertheless, they strongly condemn the sex-

ual license taken by the apostates.

"And despise government."

The seducers also "despise government"

or "look down upon authority." A literal translation of the Greek word

here rendered as "government" suggests "lordship" which, in the light of

verses 1 and 11, would refer to their denial of Christ's royal authority.

This

blasphemy

(the Greek word occurs at the end of verse 10, but is

translated in the King James Version as "speak evil of") is hardly surpris-

ing for the false teachers are further described as "presumptuous" or,

translating more accurately, as "audacious," and as being "stubborn" or

"arrogant," having no natural respect for dignities (literally "glories"),

that is, glorious beings who can be identified as angels or be seen to in-

clude all of God's celestial family. Some commentators, however, prefer

to limit the reference to disrespect for church authorities on earth.

DAY IL ANGELS OR ANIMALS? (2 Peter 2:11-14).



The example of angels (verse 11).

Human beings often regard them-

selves as the norm, setting their own standards as if there were no higher

orders of creatures in the universe. Knowing the temperaments of the

enticers, the apostle contrasts them with the greatly superior order of an-

gels, "which are greater in power and might." This reminds us that in the

Judeo-Christian world of the first century angels played a much more

prominent role than they seem to in ours.

But mention of angels brings no comfort to the adversaries. To the con-

trary, the writer appeals to angelic conduct as a rebuke to the irreverent

and blasphemous railings of the enemy. The apostle appears to be refer-

ring to the loyal angels "which are greater in might and power" in con-

trast either to the defeated angels (compare Rev. 12:7, 8) or to the evil

teachers who would be weaker still.

The original words translated as "railing accusation" in the King James

Version of verse 11 may be more accurately rendered as "blasphemous

judgment," revealing the audacity of those who criticize heavenly au-

thorities in God's presence ("before the Lord") and those whom God has

placed in authority in His church.

THINK IT THROUGH: Church leaders, being human, sometimes make

mistakes. What does 2 Peter 2:11 indicate should be our attitude when we

are convinced that something they are doing is wrong? How should we go

about doing what we can in expressing our opinion in a Christian way?

Why do you think Peter makes the caustic analysis that he does of the

seducers' characters? 2 Peter 2:12-14.

Creatures of Instinct.

Peter now returns (verse 12) to an unmasking of

the delinquents' additional shortcomings, which are many. He does not

mince words. He compares them to "natural brute beasts" or unreason-

ing animals, creatures of instinct, produced to be captured and destroyed

or hunted for food. They have allowed themselves to descend to a brutish

level. What a devastating description of any human being, let alone those

who claim to be spiritual advisors! In the heat of his disgust he directly

accuses the teachers of blasphemy, for they speak irreverently of divine

matters of which they are demonstrably ignorant. Their interests have

been so earthly that they have become incapable of discerning the heav-

enly. As a result, they will be destroyed by their own depravity. "Whatso-

ever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh

shall of the flesh reap corruption" (Gal. 6:7, 8). That is not an arbitrary

judgment, but a natural outcome of evil. Persistent sinners bring about

their own destruction—" sin, when its finished, bringeth forth death"

(James 1:15).

NOTE how such a retribution for wickedness is in accord with that which is

foretold concerning "the prince of Tyre," who typifies Satan. Eze. 28:18.

Sinners are destroyed by that which comes from inside themselves—

sin brings forth "a fire from the midst" of them and that fire consumes

them. That consuming process is not limited to the time of the final judg-

ment but is evident in the sinners' unhappiness and dissatisfaction in this

life.

DAY To what blasphemous lengths do these depraved apostates go? 2 Peter

2:13 (last part), 14.

In the original there is no verse division between the phrases that we

identify as verses 13 and 14, and neither verse is a complete sentence.

This continuity influences our understanding of Peter's denunciation of

the depraved apostates. They are described in verse 14 as "having eyes

full of adultery." Some think that the "feast" Peter mentions is the cele-

bration of the Last Supper. Even during the most sacred of all commemo-

rations, these wicked men look with lustful eyes on the women members

of the congregation. They have so fed their minds with sensual thoughts

that they

cannot

break the cycle of their fleshly desires. Their lusts crowd

out the loftier aspirations that should rule the mind during the commu-

nion service. Even in the presence of God they "cannot cease from sin."

They are insatiable in their sexual appetites. Worse still, they beguile un-

stable souls, that is, they lure others, especially the weak, to follow their

deplorable example. Any who are tempted to engage in such practices

should recall the Master's warning: "Whoso shall offend [that is, cause to

stumble] one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for

him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were

drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matt. 18:6).

The catalog of these beguilers' weaknesses is not complete even then.

Their hearts or affections are said to get their exercise (the Greek word is

based on that from which we derive "gymnastics") by fostering covetous

desires. Instead of being content, they allow themselves to become "past

masters in mercenary greed" (NEB). How different would have been

their reputation if they had heeded Christ's counsel to "beware of covet-

ousness" (Luke 12:15) and had recognized the truth of Paul's analysis that

"the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Tim. 6:10, NIV). And

how much happier our lives will be if we learn, at an early stage, to con-

trol our possessive instincts and decide, like Paul, in whatsoever state we

are, therewith to be content (Phil. 4:11). Greed is its own worst enemy, as

it never can be satisfied.

The final words in verse 14, "cursed children," may be taken as an

exclamation that bursts from the writer's anguished heart as he surveys

the harm done to his flock by the godless conduct of the false religionists.

DAY III. COMPARISON WITH BALAAM (2 Peter 2:15, 16).

In what ways is it appropriate for Peter to compare the heretical teachers

with Balaam? 2 Peter 2:15, 16.

Confrontation with the covetousness of the venal instructors reminds

Peter of their prototype, Balaam the son of Beor. (See Numbers 22

through 24 for his story.) This man, who certainly could have been an

effective prophet of the Most High God, sold himself to Israel's enemy for

financial gain. The unfaithful leaders in Asia Minor succumbed to a simi-

lar temptation. Following Balaams's example, they had forsaken the right

or the upright way. That shows that they had known the true from the

false, the righteous way of life from the unrighteous. But they had wan-

dered from the right path. As was true in the case of Balaam, their greed

led them to prefer "the wages of unrighteousness," "of injustice" or

"wrongdoing," over the less tangible rewards of rightdoing.

We must not infer from that description of the "wages" or "reward"

that were offered to Balaam (see Num. 22:17, 18; 24:13) that all profit is

evil. The morality of having wealth largely depends on the manner in

which it is gained and used. Peter here uses the intensive Greek word for

"loved," possibly indicating the depth of the dissemblers' greed and at-

tachment to material things. As did Balaam, they seek financial gain at

the expense of spiritual integrity.

The writer now brings his long sentence (verses 12-16) to a close with a

phrase that is an integral part of verse 15: "But was rebuked for his iniq-

uity," or his violation of law, God's law. The rebuke came first from the

donkey's refusal to continue the journey on which Balaam was bent, and

then from the angel whose presence the donkey had sensed (Num. 22:22-

27). The prophet's persistence in a course of action that was motivated by

greed is described as "madness" (2 Peter 2:16). Obstinate persistence in

wrongdoing amounts to insanity. The apostle's plain speaking is intended

to set a loud bell ringing in his readers' minds. He does not want them or

us to follow misleading models. He knew Balaam's end: "Balaam also the

son of Beor they [the Israelites] slew with the sword" (Num. 31:8).

DAYFURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION: Read

Testimonies,

volume 5,

pages 141 through 148.

"Temptations" or "Trials."

"These trials of life are God's workmen to

remove the impurities, infirmities, and roughness from our characters,

and fit us for the society of pure, heavenly angels in glory. But as we pass

through these trials, as the fires of affliction kindle upon us, we must not

keep the eye on the fire which is seen, but let the eye of faith fasten upon

the things unseen, the eternal inheritance, the immortal life, the eternal

weight of glory; and while we do this the fire will not consume us, but

only remove the dross, and we shall come forth seven times purified,

bearing the impress of the

Divine."—Testimonies, vol.

1, pp. 706, 707.

SUMMARY: God delivers the righteous out of temptations. The record of

His dealings with His people in the past assures us that He is more than

capable of and willing to deliver His people from temptation today. On the

other hand, the wicked are destroyed by their own corruption. Sin is self-

destroying.

APPLICATION:

•

As you recall occasions when the Lord has delivered you out of temp-

tation, was your cooperation required? In what ways did you cooper-

ate?

Which, if any, of the five or six undesirable attitudes listed in 2 Peter

2:10 operate in your life?

•

Do you allow room in your life for the ministry of angels? In what ways

ought you to do so?

Unfruiffull and Dangerous

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 2 Peter 2:17-22.

DAY MEMORY TEXT: "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither

can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. . . . Wherefore by their

fruits ye shall know them" (Matt. 7:18-20).

CENTRAL THOUGHT:

When a professed Christian turns back to delib-

erate sin, his second state is worse than his first.

OVERVIEW-2 Peter 2:17-22

Verse 17

Verses 18-20

Verses 21, 22

Wells

without

water

Slaves to sin

Washed sows

wallowing in the

mire again

INTRODUCTION: Many of

the words and phrases Peter uses in his sec-

ond chapter sound extremely harsh to our ears. However, we need to

remember the background against which he wrote this letter. He loved his

readers. It is possible that he knew some of them personally and believed

in the genuineness of their conversions, for he describes them as having

"obtained like precious faith with us" (2 Peter 1:1). From afar he has

heard of the disruptive work being done among them by those who claim

to be teachers, but who live such dissolute lives and teach such destruc-

tive doctrines that they are destroying the congregations that Peter him-

self may have helped to establish.

News of such harmful activity prompts the apostle to write in defense

of the faith in order to fortify believers and to expose the errors of those

who are leading so many astray. These objectives help to explain the

strong, blunt language that Peter uses in chapter 2. It tears off the mask of

false sanctity and reveals the seducers for the renegade sinners that they

truly are.

If that were all that the epistle accomplishes, it would have merely his-

torical value some 1900 years later. But we find that, as so often in Scrip-

ture, the ancient words are remarkably up-to-date and their message suits

many of the circumstances that confront us in the late twentieth century.

Thus this week's study can be both interesting and profitable for each of

us today.

DAY I. DECEIVERS UNMASKED (2 Peter 2:17-19).

Waterless wells (verse 17).

Peter now turns from the historical illustra-

tions that he has been using to underline the evil nature of the heretical

teachers—antediluvians, Sodom and Gomorrah, rebellious angel—to

deal with those teachers' characters. He takes a leaf out of his Lord's

notebook and virtually tells his congregations, "By their fruits ye shall

know them" (Matt. 7:20). In powerful strokes he paints vivid pictures of

the deceivers (verse 17). Because he is writing to those who were often

dependent on wells or springs for their water, his first two metaphors

would catch their immediate attention.

What is the significance of the way Peter illustrates the barren nature of

the seducers' ministry? 2 Peter 2:17.

Few among those who read or heard his words would fail to grasp the

immediate significance of his charge that the perverters were as useless

and as dangerous as "wells without water." The initial readers would

know from experience the frustrations and perils that lurked in dry wells.

The thirsty would run to a well from which water had been regularly

drawn, only to hear the empty bucket bang against the dry soil that held

not a drop of moisture. They would hurry to the next well, only to repeat

the discovery. Fear of widespread drought would strike their minds.

Peter implies in a similar way that church members would go to pro-

fessed teachers and ministers expecting them to provide the water of life,

drawn from the wells of salvation. Alas, many thirsty souls were doomed

to bitter disappointment. These false teachers had no spiritual water with

which to quench the believers' thirst. They were full of destructive criti-

cisms, disloyal suggestions, covetous desires, and poor theology; but

they were empty of positive, orthodox scriptural teaching. If left

undisturbed they would destroy the churches that had been raised up by

the faithful apostles and their colaborers.

Rainless clouds (verse 17).

In a similar but different illustration the

writer reinforces his condemnation of those who were undermining the

churches. He likens them to clouds or mists that bring hope of rain to

drought-stricken people but quickly are dissipated or driven away by a

squall of wind, leaving the thirsty ones thirstier than ever. Peter's congre-

gations would appreciate that picture, for their hopes had risen when the

teachers had first appeared. The believers were thirsting after righteous-

ness. They welcomed the bold instructors, hoping that they were bringing

them the water of life, but soon discovered that they were empty of

lifegiving teaching. Their disappointment was no less keen than that of

the thirsty traveler who was robbed of his hope of finding water. Such a

thirst would be more intense than when the deceptive teachers first ap-

peared. It would be heightened by the spiritually dry, lifeless teachings of

the false ones.

What bleak future is assured for such false teachers? 2 Peter 2:17.

Such deceptive teaching meets its just punishment. For them, says

Peter, "the mist of darkness is reserved for ever." The apostle's figure of

speech actually is more vivid than the King James Version implies. He

declares that the apostates will be sent into "the blackness of the dark-

ness," or "the blackest darkness." He sees them sharing the same eternal

fate as that of "the angels that sinned," whom God had delivered into

similar gloom (verse 4).

DAY



The Water of life.

The contrast between the false prophets' service and

that of the One whom they claimed to serve is heightened by Peter's

choice of illustration. They are "wells without water," but Christ pro-

vides "a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).

Whereas they could not even fill a spiritual cup with life-giving liquid,

Jesus gives His true followers "living water" so that they "shall never

thirst" (John 4:10). The dramatic differences furnish us with a means of

measuring the efficacy of human ministry—does it meet the spiritual

needs of those who "thirst after righteousness" (Matt. 5:6)? If it does not,

the remedy lies first with a change in those who have been deceiving the

churches. They need to drink from the Fount of Life, for "whosoever

drinketh of the water" that Christ "shall give him shall never thirst"; and

that water "shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting

life" (John 4:14).

What principal method did the teachers use to ruin the believers' Chris-

tian experience? 2 Peter 2:18.

The apostle now turns from figures of speech and in plain, but power-

ful, language identifies the seductions of the apostate teachers. In doing

so, he unmasks the means by which they lure the honest but weak Chris-

tians into their snares. They "speak great swelling words of vanity." Such

pompous and boastful words are devoid of genuine spiritual significance.

Their principal instrument of seduction is "the lusts of the flesh," that

age-old inducement to sin that the devil has used so successfully among

God's children.

SEARCH AND LEARN: Show how the texts that follow illustrate the dev-

il's success in using the "lusts of the flesh" to cause people to sin.

Gen. 6:1, 2, 5



Ex. 32:1-6, 19, 25



Num. 25:1-9



Add two more



Peter's scathing words gain added justification as we learn that the se-

ducers' victims were "those that were clean escaped from them who live

311

..4

in error" (2 Peter 2:18). This reveals that many of those who were caught

in the lustful teachers' toils were new converts. Having recently escaped

from the errors of paganism. they had not put sufficient distance as yet

between their new life and their old. They were not mature enough Chris-

tians to withstand the sexual enticements that were dangled before their

eyes. As of today Satan has not found it necessary to change his principal

tools of seduction. They are as effective now as they were in the days of

the first church. How open-eyed we need to be to discern right from

wrong!

DAY



To what basic law does the false teacher's conduct point? 2 Peter 2:19.

The Galilean fisherman had gained deeper spiritual insight since the

day when he "forsook all, and followed" Jesus (Luke 5:11). From a dis-

tance, piecing together the distressing news that reached him from Asia

Minor, he rightly analyzed the tactics of those who were leading new con-

verts astray. They were employing some of the same sophistries that still

are being used today—promising liberty, freedom for each to indulge his

or her own pet sins while professing allegiance to Christ. They were re-

versing the process described by Paul when he wrote of being "delivered

from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of

God" (Rom. 8:21). They were falsely proclaiming freedom from the

"bondage" of the gospel and, in so doing, were ensnaring new Christians

in the kind of sin from which it would be harder to escape than when they

first left paganism.

In what way were the false teachers living illustrations of the falseness of

their own claims? Verse 19.

"They themselves are slaves of depravity" (NIV). It was not possible

for the false teachers to lead others astray without setting the evil exam-

ple themselves. Conversely, it was not possible for them to set others

truly at liberty without enjoying freedom from overt sin in their own lives.

Unknown to themselves, they truly were "slaves of sin," enslaved by the

evil one as surely as if they were shackled literally to Satan. This truth is

stated by Peter in a most perceptive way: "Of whom a man is overcome,

of the same is he brought in bondage" (verse 19), or "a man is the slave of

whatever has mastered him" (NEB). This profound truth needs empha-

sizing in our permissive age. Also it should alert all Christians to the dan-

ger of becoming enslaved by a specific sin, as well as by weaknesses in

general.

NOTE how Peter may have been echoing the Lord's judgment recorded in

John 8:34.

DAY II. THE ENTANGLEMENT OF DECEPTION (2 Peter 2:20-22).



How relevant to our situation today is the apostle's description of teach-

ing heresy and engaging in warfare against the church? 2 Peter 2:20.

DAY

OUP,

It is preferable to see the remaining verses in this chapter as referring to

the apostate teachers ("they themselves" in verse 19) rather than to those

whom they had duped (those who had recently escaped from paganism).

The deceivers

had,

at one time, "escaped the pollutions" (shameful

deeds and crimes; hence, moral pollutions) "of the world." This they had

done by their personal knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ—

the only way of escape. This suggests that those teachers had been born-

again Christians but had lost their first love, had become enamored of

worldly pleasures and vices, and had apostatized. They were living

warnings to faithful Christians.

Although the writer refers primarily to the wayward teachers, his suc-

ceeding comments provide warnings to us as Christians today. For that

purpose he employs fisherman terminology. We, like the apostates, can

be "again entangled therein [like fish in a net] and overcome" by "the

pollutions of the world." Paul, to a similar end, admonishes us: "Let him

that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12). (See also

Heb. 2:1, 3.)

There is no doubt in Peter's mind as to the fate of those who, having

intimately known the Lord, reject Him and return to serve His enemy.

The "latter end is worse with them than the beginning" (verse 20). This

mournful but just pronouncement agrees with the opinion expressed in

Hebrews 6:4-6: "It is impossible for those who were once

enlightened, . . . if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repen-

tance." (See also Matt. 12:31; Heb. 10:26-29.) This is one of the saddest

judgments in history, but it is not arbitrary. It is the inevitable outcome of

the free choice made by those who, once having accepted, now reject

Christ's freely offered salvation. "He who has once been a Christian but

has gone back to the world becomes spiritually hardened and less respon-

sive to spiritual appeals. His salvation thus becomes more difficult."—

S.D.A. Bible Commentary, vol.

7, p. 610.

NOTE the significant title by which Peter pays homage to his Master. He,

and he alone, speaks of the Redeemer by His composite title, "the Lord and

Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:11; 2:20; 3:18).

"God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (1:1) and "the Lord and Saviour"

(3:2) come close to the full reverence of the longer title. Only Paul, in

Titus 1:4, comes near to that description as he speaks of "the Lord Jesus

Christ our Saviour." Of the Gospel writers, only Luke, recording the an-

gel's announcement, writes of "a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord"

(2:11); while John, preserving the Samaritans' verdict, records, "this is

indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world" (4:42). Our own reverence

can be strengthened by contemplating the breadth of meaning found in

Peter's loving recognition of his Master's multiple offices.

To what sad conclusions had Peter come concerning the deceivers?

2 Peter 2:21.

Recognition of the perils of apostasy leads to agreement with the con-

clusion expressed in 2 Peter 2:21. Possession of knowledge always brings

responsibility. When once we have heard of a law, for instance, we cannot

plead ignorance of its requirements; we have become subject to it. So it

was with the backsliders. They had known from personal experience "the

way of righteousness," that is,

the Way,

the Christian way that leads to

righteousness through faith in Christ Jesus. They had known it well

enough to become its prophets and teachers, albeit unworthy ones. It

would have been better for them not to have known it; then they would

have stood on neutral ground and been able to evaluate the Christian

message at its true worth and to respond wholeheartedly to its high call-

ing. This they could not now do, for they had turned from it and were

persuading others to reject it. In so doing they brought themselves under

judgment, against which they could not plead ignorance.

The holy commandment.

At the close of verse 21 Peter reveals the root

cause of the disaster that struck the apostate teachers. They had turned

"from the holy commandment delivered unto them." This was a deliber-

ate act on their part. Indeed, some of the Greek manuscripts imply that

they "turned back from," that is, they turned their backs on the holy com-

mandment that had been delivered to them. And what was that "holy

commandment"? A literal interpretation might lead to Luke 10:27, "Thou

shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, . . . and thy neighbour as

thyself." That commandment summarizes the essence of true Christian-

ity and all the laws of God. A more specific application sees Peter's

phrase as an indictment of the apostates' antagonism to law in general;

their claim to be above law, free from it, able to do whatsoever their im-

pulses urged them to do. In this philosophy there was nothing new—it

was the same old story of human beings wanting to go their own way and

indulge their own appetites and inclinations, even when contrary to the

law of God which is "the holy commandment."

In what blunt language does the apostle describe the conclusion of the

course pursued by the false prophets? 2 Peter 2:22.

The apostolic indictment against those who were leading God's people

astray concludes in verse 22 with two picturesque but withering judg-

ments: (1) "the dog is turned to his own vomit again," and (2) "the sow

that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." Neither reproach is pleas-

ant, but both are justified, for those who leave the way of sin to follow

righteousness and then revert to the sinful, law-rejecting life are choosing

on a moral level what dogs and pigs choose in their animal existence.

Peter's blunt language must have led many first-century church members

to serious thought and should do the same for us today.

DAY



STUDY AND MEDITATION:

Responsibility of church leaders:

"The people will seldom rise higher

than their minister. A world-loving spirit in him has a tremendous influ-

ence upon others. The people make his deficiencies an excuse to cover

their world-loving spirit. They quiet their own consciences, thinking that

they may be free to love the things of this life and be indifferent to spiri-

tual things, because their ministers are so. They deceive their own souls,

and remain in friendship with the world, which the apostle declares to be

enmity with God.

"Ministers should be examples to the flock. They should manifest an

undying love for souls and the same devotion to the cause which they

desire to see in the

people."—Testimonies,

vol. 2, pp. 645, 646.

For our twentieth century. "It

does our generation little credit that such

passion [as Peter's] for truth and holiness strikes an alien note in our

minds. Peter's plain speaking in this chapter [Second Peter 2] has a very

practical purpose, just as Jesus' warnings had: 'What I say unto you I say

unto all, Watch!' We would be mistaken to assume, It could never hap-

pen to us.' Both Scripture and experience assure us that it

could. . . . Covetousness, sophistical arguments, pride in knowledge,

gluttony, drunkenness, lust, arrogance against authority of all kinds, and,

most of all, the danger of denying the lordship of the Redeemer—are

these not all the paramount temptations of money-mad, sex-mad, materi-

alistic, anti-authoritarian, twentieth century man?"—Michael Green,

Tyndale New Testament Commentaries,

vol. 18, p. 122.

"Self-righteousness is a curse, a human embellishment, which Satan

uses for his glory. Those who garnish the soul with self-praise and flattery

prepare the way for the seven other spirits more wicked than the first. In

their very reception of the truth these souls deceive themselves. They are

building upon a foundation of self-righteousness. The prayers of congre-

gations may be offered to God with a round of ceremonies, but if they are

offered in self-righteousness God is not honored by them. The Lord de-

clares, will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not

profit thee.' In spite of all their display, their garnished habitation, Satan

comes in with a troop of evil angels and takes his place in the soul, to help

in the deception. The apostle writes, 'If after they have escaped the pollu-

tions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus

Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is

worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to

have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to

turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them' "—Ellen G.

White Comments,

S.D.A. Bible Commentary, vol.

5, p. 1093.

SUMMARY: When professed Christians turn back to their old life of sin,

they give up true freedom in Christ to become slaves to sin once again.

The fact is that their latter state is worse than their former one because

once having apostatized it is more difficult to find freedom from sin in

Christ again.

APPLICATION:

•

Judging by the fruits I produce, what quality of tree does my life repre-

sent?

•

Which of the sins that are uncovered in this week's lesson cause me the

most trouble?

•

When did I last drink of the living water that only Christ can give?

•

When spiritually thirsty people come to me for refreshment, how thor-

oughly and pleasantly is their thirst quenched?

Reminders and Warnin

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 2 Peter 3:1-7.

DAY MEMORY TEXT: "Now all these things happened unto them for en-

samples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the



ends of the word are come" (1 Cor. 10:11).

CENTRAL THOUGHT:

No matter how unchangeable the course of hu-

man history may appear to be, the Christian places his confidence in pro-

phetic forecasts and looks forward to the "last days" and Christ's return.

OVERVIEW-2 Peter 3:1-7

Verses 1, 2

Words to

Remember

Verses 3, 4

Scoffers Deny

The Second Coming

Verses 5-7

What They

Willingly Ignore

Remember the

instruction given

by prophets and

apostles

As justification

scoffers cite the

supposed stability

of nature

Judgment in the

Flood

Final fiery

judgment

INTRODUCTION:

In chapter 2 Peter forcefully expresses his righteous

indignation against the immoral and deceptive teachers who would lead

his flocks to spiritual ruin. In chapter 3 he readdresses himself to his cen-

tral purpose—the strengthening of the believers' commitment to Christ.

To this end, he develops the theme begun in his first chapter—spiritual

growth in preparation for entrance "into the everlasting kingdom of our

Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:11). Of course, there were no

chapter divisions in the original letter. It was written as one continuous

message.

We should embark on our study of the closing third of the epistle in an

appreciative and respectful spirit. This final chapter stands head high

with the best that the New Testament offers. We should prepare to find

and digest Peter's counsel, whatever its message may be and whatever

the Spirit may tell us through its verses.

DAY I. SCORNFUL CRITICISM EXAMINED (2 Peter 3:1-4).

No matter how strong the Bible writers' language may have been in

denouncing heresy and wrongdoing, their spirit is tender toward the inno-

cent and faithful Christians whom they address. In this closing chapter of

his second epistle, Peter uses the term "beloved" for his readers in four

places—here in verse 1 and in verses 8, 14, and 17. He follows each use

with an exhortation, "by way of remembrance" (verse 1), "be not igno-

rant" (verse 8), "be diligent" (verse 14), and "beware" (verse 17).

For what general purpose did the apostle write "this second epistle"?

2 Peter 3:1.

The purpose behind Peter's second letter is identical with that which

prompted his first. Although the word

both

is italicized in some editions

of the King James Version to indicate that there is no word corresponding

to it in the original, its inclusion is justified by the Greek construction.

Peter wrote his first and second letters to remind his readers of the in-

struction that they had received already from the Scriptures and from

apostolic teaching (verses 1, 2). He expected the church members to re-

ceive his reminder, for they had "pure minds," or, more accurately, "the

pure mind" or "the sincere mind." The Greek word translated "pure"

suggests "tested by the sun's warmth." Flaws in sculpture in those days

often were patched by wax which would melt in sunlight. When unflawed

works were described in Latin they were said to be

sine cera,

"without

wax," whence our word

sincere

or pure. The use of "pure" here testifies

to Peter's high regard for his readers. He believed them to be genuine

Christians and encouraged them to measure up to his estimate of their

charkters.

What two particular ends did the writer have in mind for his readers?

2 Peter 3:2.

The pastor first wanted to remind his readers of the "holy" prophets'

messages. This must refer to the Old Testament prophecies, particularly

those that foretold the work of Christ and His coming. Then he wanted to

remind them of the commandment or moral instruction given by "your

apostles? rather than "us the apostles." This wording delicately avoids

any touch of arrogance on Peter's part. He is but one among several au-

thorities who had been appointed by "the Lord and Saviour" to serve the

young churches and their members. Neither he nor the prophets nor the

apostles laid claim to personal authority. They were only the Lord's

spokesmen, and His divine authority sufficed.

DAY



How does Peter disclose the specific line of prophetic and apostolic teach-

d ing that is being attacked by the skeptics? 2 Peter

3:3, 4.

The doubters' principal attacks were directed against the doctrine of

the second advent. "Where is the promise of his coming?" In view of this

the writer gives the topic first place, saying, "Knowing this first," and

relating the skeptics' subversive questions to "the last days." The refer-

ence is to the days that were to pass between Christ's ascension and His

second coming. The continual hope of the disciples, their converts, and

aid5

3ailim

Reminders

Lesson

their successors was for the speedy return of their Master. (For extended

comment on the hope and the passage of time before its fulfillment, see

S.D.A. Bible Commentary,

vol. 6, pp, 630-633, "Additional Note on Ro-

mans 13.")

To Peter and his fellow believers Christ's return was an ever-living

hope, based on their Lord's teachings (Matthew 24), His promise (John

14:3), and that of the angels at the ascension scene (Acts 1:11). But to the

literal minded and the materialists, the passage of time brought doubt and

severe erosion of faith in the certainty of Christ's return. Those whom

Peter described as "scoffers" or "mockers" would be susceptible in a par-

ticular way to such doubts, for their spiritual integrity already had been

weakened by their personal habits. They were the false teachers who

were described so forcefully in chapter 2. They were attempting the im-

possible task of professing Christianity while indulging their fleshly appe-

tites. They had no inner core of spiritual honesty on which to build a firm

faith. They were materialists. Their spiritual capacity had been so weak-

ened by persistent sin that they were incapable of exercising a childlike

faith in the promises recorded in Scripture or in those that were passed on

orally by the apostles.

APPLICATION TO OUR TIME:

"Looking down through the ages to the

close of time, Peter was inspired to outline conditions that would exist in

the world just prior to the second coming of Christ. 'There shall come in

the last days scoffers,' he wrote, 'walking after their own lusts, and say-

ing, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep,

all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.' But

`when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh

upon them.' 1 Thessalonians 5:3. Not all, however, would be ensnared by

the enemy's devices. As the end of all things earthly should approach,

there would be faithful ones able to discern the signs of the times. While a

large number of professing believers would deny their faith by their

works, there would be a remnant who would endure to the

end."—The

Acts of the Apostles,

pp. 535, 536.

What significance do you see in the way that the scoffers expressed their

doubts concerning the second coming? 2 Peter 3:4.

The apostle must be quoting the type of question by which the false

teachers revealed their skepticism about Christ's return. Their question,

"Where is the promise of his coming?" is not concerned with the place in

the Bible where a particular promise is recorded, but with the fulfillment

of the many declarations that Jesus would come again. Because such a

question is natural to human nature, and therefore valid, Peter had no

quarrel with that aspect of their inquiry. His objection lay in the spirit in

which their question was nurtured. It was negative, arising from their ma-

terialistic outlook, their scorn of the spiritual, their devotion to pleasure,

their unrepentant sensuality.

The mockers' attitude has a certain plausibility arising from their ap-

peal to nature. Their reference to "since the fathers fell asleep" may be to

Lritm-frair



Vaantiriati



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the 30 post-resurrection years during which many prominent church lead-

ers had died. It is more likely, however, that they are employing the New

Testament term for the Old Testament "fathers" or patriarchs. (For exam-

ples see Acts 3:13; 5:30; 26:6; 28:25; Rom. 9:5; 15:8; 1 Cor. 10:1; Heb.

1:1.) Note also that the doubters employ the biblical term for death, "fell

asleep." They then appeal to the apparent unchangeability in nature—

"all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." The

sun rises and sets each day, the moon's phases reappear each month, the

seasons follow with annual regularity. This cycle, they imply, will con-

tinue without interruption. Although using a similar rationale, these scoff-

ers should not be identified with present-day evolutionists, for Peter indi-

cates that they believed in Creation.

DAY II. THE FLOOD AND THE FUTURE (2 Peter 3:5-7).

The wayward teachers have appealed to the apparent immutability of

nature in an effort to pour scorn on hopes that God would intervene dra-

matically in human history by visibly sending His Son into the human

arena a second time. Peter turns that approach back upon the dissidents

by appealing to the irrefutable fact that global catastrophe once had

stricken our world when the Flood occurred.

How does Peter counter the argument concerning the uninterrupted

course of human history? 2 Peter 3:5, 6.

In view of the severe judgments contained in chapter 2, it is not surpris-

ing to find the apostle attacking the disturbers' emphasis on the appar-

ently uninterrupted continuance of history since the world was created.

He accuses them of willfully ignoring creation's dependence on the word

of God. Some see in this a reference to the personal Word, the Son, by

whom "all things were made" (John 1:3). Such a subtlety is unlikely in

this context. The clearer reference is to God's spoken word as the cre-

ative agent. (See Gen. 1:3, 6, 9; compare with Ps. 33:6, 9.) The Creator's

word sufficed to create the atmospheric heavens (the Greek word is in the

plural) "of old" or "long ago." By the same power the earth came into

existence. The close reliance on Genesis 1 is clear. Our globe emerged

from "the waters" (Gen. 1:2, 6, 7, 9, 10).

But the implication is that what can be done by that almighty word can

also be undone by the same. He who created the earth "by the breath of

his mouth" (Ps. 33:6) also told Noah that He would "bring a flood of wa-

ters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh" apart from Noah and his family

and selected animals (Gen. 6:17-19). Then comes the irony described in

2 Peter 3:6. There the first word, "whereby," represents two words in the

original that today we would translate "by which." This may be reason-

ably seen as a reference to the creative word and the waters from which

our world first appeared. The sad irony lies in the subsequent destruction

by that same element, water, of most of the creation by which the Lord

had clothed and populated the globe. As is so often the case in nature, its

blessings also can bring catastrophe. The beneficent sun that so pleas-

Lesson

l2=111g1g33 frir3 Mtuailmg3

antly warms can scorch also, and life-giving water also can drown and

destroy. In the case we are considering, Peter's conclusion is terse—"the

world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished." Of course,

it was human, animal, and vegetable life that "perished," not the globe

itself.

DAY



After reminding his readers of the Flood, Peter then turns to the prospect

of a future cataclysmic judgment. What contrasting cleansing agent to that

used in the Flood will God use in the final judgment, and why does He

choose a different agent? 2 Peter

3:7;

Gen. 9:15.

We may need to remind ourselves that the apostle still is considering

"words" and their role in God's design for this world. (See verses 2 and

5.) The writer now asserts that "by the same word," that is, by God's

word whether through the prophets and apostles (verse 2) or by direct

speech at Creation (verse 5), the present heavens and the earth have been

kept in store (verse 7). And for what purpose? They "are being kept" or

"reserved" with a view to being cleansed by fire at judgment day. The

description of the judgment he gives in verse 10 is not difficult for those

who live in the atomic age to comprehend.

SEARCH AND LEARN:

Study the following texts to discover more of

what the Bible has to say about the final judgment as it develops a consis-

tent picture of a fiery cleansing of our world:

Ps. 21:9



Nahum 1:5, 6

Ps. 50:3



Mal. 4:1

Ps. 97:3-5



Matt. 3:11, 12

Isa. 66:15, 16

Judgment day, with its cleansing fires, will purify the earth that has

been polluted by centuries of sinful conduct. But "the day of judgment"

will specifically bring "perdition" to "ungodly men." The word translated

esson

"perdition" is related to the verb rendered as "punished" in 2 Peter 3:6.

Both words are associated with the thought of destruction, ruin, and even

annihilation that will be the final fate of the ungodly. The author has used

the same word in chapter 2, verses 1 and 3, where it is translated as "dam-

nable," "destruction," and "damnation." Peter sees no indication that

the false teachers will repent of their deceptive work. He sees them in-

cluded among those who will suffer irreparable punishment. There is di-

vine justice in such an end, for they are impious and godless (compare

Jude 15, 18).

THINK IT THROUGH: How can those who reject God and work against

Him and His purposes expect to share a sinless eternity with Him and those

who have been redeemed from evil?

DAY NOTE ON THE SECOND COMING:

Our study this week has brought us

ICJ

face to face with the biblical teaching about our Lord's return. We shall

meet this glorious topic again during our remaining studies this quarter,

but shall have less space for its detailed consideration. Therefore, before

this week's study closes, we should dwell on some of its features that will

not be touched on in our study of the remainder of Peter's third chapter.

Its necessity.

No omnipotent Creator can permit a rebellious world

to continue its career unchecked. Such a policy would perpetuate rebel-

lion, weaken the Almighty's program, and ensure the continuance of sin

with all its related cruelty, suffering, and death. Therefore it is necessary

that sin's reign should end and God reign supreme. This can come to pass

only through Christ's return and the subjection of all to God the Father

(1 Cor. 15:24-28).

Its certainty.

In the celestial timetable there never has been any

doubt about the certainty of Christ's second advent. It has been foreseen

and planned from eternity. It does not depend on human skills and is not

to be frustrated by human frailties. Our slowness, our failures, even our

apostasy can delay the fulfillment of the eternal purpose, but because all

is foreseen by the Omniscient, the day of the Lord will come at the time

the Lord has foreseen.

Its proximity.

By the exercise of hindsight we can see how difficult it

would have been for the Master to return at earlier points in history. The

conditions for return were not fulfilled. The earth was not fully explored;

the church had not developed its potential; not all sections of earth were

open to evangelization; means of travel and communication were rudi-

mentary. Much yet remains to be done, but the means are available. No

less significant is the horrible negative—human beings now hold in their

hands the means of worldwide destruction. The possibility of annihilation

through nuclear destruction increases every passing year. Thus our safety

lies in the proximity of the second coming (2 Peter 3:11-13).

Its finality.

The war to end wars has been fought often but never has

accomplished its objective. But when Christ shall come again to deliver

His people He will accomplish His objective. He shall come at the right

time. If there were a better time for Him to have come, the All-wise One

would have chosen it. All who really wish to be saved, who prefer righ-

teousness to sin, who trust in Christ and not in themselves for salvation

will be ready to say, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he

will save us" (Isa. 25:9). (See Rev. 22:17.)

FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

"Scoffers.

In Jude (verse 18) the same Greek word is rendered

mock-

ers.

The word means those who deride, reproach, ridicule. There is usu-

ally in the word the idea of contempt, or malignity towards an object.

Here the sense seems to be that they would treat with derision or con-

tempt the predictions respecting the advent of the Saviour, and the end of

the world. It would appear probable that there was a particular or definite

class of men referred to; a class who would hold peculiar opinions, and

who would urge plausible objections against the fulfillment of the predic-

tions respecting the end of the world, and the second coming of the

Saviour—for these are the points to which Peter particularly

refers. . . . The eye of the apostle is evidently on a particular class of

men, the special form of whose reproaches would be the ridicule of the

doctrines that the Lord Jesus would return; that there would be a day of

judgment; that the world would be consumed by fire, etc."—Albert

Barnes,

Notes on the New Testament, vol.

10, p. 254.

Antediluvian conditions repeated.

"The sins that called for vengeance

upon the antediluvian world exist today. The fear of God is banished from

the hearts of men, and His law is treated with indifference and contempt.

The intense worldliness of that generation is equaled by that of the gen-

eration now living. . . .

"That which is lawful in itself is carried to excess. Appetite is indulged

without restraint. Professed followers of Christ are today eating and

drinking with the drunken, while their names stand in honored church

records. Intemperance benumbs the moral and spiritual powers and pre-

pares the way for the indulgence of the lower passions. Multitudes feel

under no moral obligation to curb their sensual desires, and they become

the slaves of lust. Men are living for the pleasures of sense; for this world

and this life

alone."—Patriarchs and Prophets,

pp. 101, 102.

SUMMARY:

In chapter 1, Peter wrote about "exceeding great and pre-

cious promises" (verse 14). In chapter 3 he centers the attention of his

readers on the greatest and most precious of them all—Christ's promise

to return and undo the damage done by sin. Apparently, the false teachers

had been scoffing at this promise in particular, but Peter testifies to its

certainty. His witness means much to those waiting eagerly for Christ's

return today.

APPLICATION:

In what ways has my mind been stirred this week to recall the words of

the prophets and apostles concerning Christ's return?

What influence, if any, do scoffers in A.D. 1985 have upon my confi-

dence in the second coming?

As I think of the prime features of our Lord's return—its majesty, its

demonstration of divine reliability, its note of triumph over evil, its as-

surance of salvation—which of these, or other features, holds most sig-

nificance for me?

DAY

(11N1i

s Timetable

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 2 Peter 3:8-10.

DAY

MEMORY TEXT: "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as

some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not will-

ing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance"

(2 Peter 3:9).

CENTRAL THOUGHT:

It behooves us to be more deeply aware of the

nature and character of Him "with whom we have to do" (Heb. 4:13).

Our salvation is closely linked to our personal acquaintance with God and

our knowledge of His character (John 17:3).

OVERVIEW-2 Peter 3:8-10

Verse 8

Verse 9

Verse 10

God and Time

God and Mercy

God and the

Future

INTRODUCTION:

In common with most human beings, the early Chris-

tians and those who were trying to lead them astray had inadequate ideas

about the One whom they professed to worship. They observed some of

the rudiments of adoration, but, as is true of most of us, their perceptions

of God's eternal and loving nature were limited and distorted. They

needed to get clearer visions of the Almighty. Peter determined to help

them meet that need.

To that end he contrasted humanity's relation to time with that of the

Lord's (2 Peter 3:8). That in itself provided an effective argument to

counter the skepticism about Christ's return (verse 4). He repudiated the

charge that God is unconcerned about the human race, and emphasized

God's desire "that all should come to repentance" (verse 9). But, know-

ing those whom he was trying to help as well as those whose teachings he

rejected, he found it necessary to warn both parties that the Lord's com-

ing would be unexpected and cataclysmic (verse 10).

The apostle's careful attention to these questions that were troubling

his readers has been helpful to Christians throughout succeeding ages. It

should prove useful to us particularly in this time of worldwide distress

and fear. We should study Peter's instruction earnestly, for it reveals

much that will enable us to overcome doubt and to confirm the certainty

of the advent.

DAY I. GOD AND TIME (2 Peter 3:8).

The pastor-spirit in Peter was deeply concerned over the impact that

unscriptural and unspiritual teaching was having on the congregations to

whom he was writing. This led him to expose the skeptical and secular

nature of the teachers who had been professing to interpret Scripture to

the church members. It prompts him at this point in his epistle to defend

the Lord's dealings with humanity, both in the past and in the days to

come. He shares his concern in a most gentle manner, employing his fa-

vorite form of address, "beloved." He asks his readers to pause and con-

sider the apparent delay in their Lord's appearing in the light of God's

eternal nature. This surely was a wise approach. We easily can be misled

by listening to human reasoning when we would be wiser to consider the

Godhead's outlook on any problem that disturbs us. This is Peter's re-

sponse to the heretical suggestions that are worrying his flock. He applies

his remedy earnestly and clearly, as a careful study of verse 8 reveals.

What universal principle lies behind the observation Peter makes in his

reasoned response to the doubters' negative outlook on Christ's return?

2 Peter 3:8.

The persuasiveness of Peter's exhortation, "be not ignorant of this one

thing," is better expressed in the paraphrase "let not this one fact escape

your attention." Who could resist such a plea? Not Peter's readers, we

may be sure.

THINK IT THROUGH: Do we have a responsibility to be informed, not to

be ignorant, and not to neglect vital information, particularly when it con-

cerns the nature and the character of God?

To God the Father and God the Son there is no time as we know it with

its restrictions and pressures. They are independent of time. In the light

of this understanding, Peter can confidently make the significant observa-

tion: "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years

as one day." Understanding this truth concerning the divine nature has an

important bearing on our attitude toward the passage of time in relation to

the second coming. As were the members of the early church, we are

impatient for our Lord's return. And this is by no means to be con-

demned. Before the close of the first century, John the revelator was re-

cording: "Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus"

(Rev. 22:20). Such is the natural prayer of the dedicated heart. There is

something wrong when we feel no interest in our Master's speedy appear-

ing. But Peter reminds his readers of the difference between their view of

time and the way the Lord relates to what we know as "time." His use of

the comparison between one day and a thousand years does not imply a

difference of one day as against -the passage of 365,000 days (which no

ordinary human being has experienced). It rather suggests the intensity of

the Eternal's understanding of each day's significance. The illustrations

also emphasize that the Almighty does not need to measure the passage

of days, years, centuries, and millenniums. He lives in an eternal present.

The psalmist expresses this in a picturesque way when he says, "A

thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a

watch in the night" (Ps. 90:4). (Compare Isa. 55:8, 9.) Such revelations

remind us that no matter how dedicated we are to the pursuit of a saving

knowledge of God, a complete understanding of the divine nature eludes

us because of our human limitations. That realization need not distress

us. Eternity will be long enough for us to increase our knowledge. In the

meantime, we must resist the temptation to attempt to create God in our

own image.

II. GOD AND MERCY (2 Peter 3:9).

The answers to many questions that perplex us lie in a deep under-

standing of the mind of God. The more we understand His character, the

better we shall understand His ways. Peter had known this for decades,

and he uses that knowledge to help his troubled congregations under-

stand more about the apparent delay in their Lord's return.

What divine characteristics help explain the fact that the Lord has not

returned as yet? 2 Peter 3:9.

"The Lord is not slack," declares the apostle, or as

B. Phillips ren-

ders the phrase, "It is not that he is dilatory." That is a heartening and

necessary assurance, especially for impetuous Peter and his impetuous

successors. God is not subject to human weaknesses, as some would

reckon Him to be. His "purposes know no haste and no delay."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 32. (Compare Hab. 2:3.)

But that fact has by no means been easy for many of God's children to

accept. At critical junctures in history there have been long periods of

waiting that have been difficult for even the most trustful believers to ex-

plain. Abraham was 75 years old when he obeyed the Lord and left Haran

in route to Canaan. He carried with him the promise of being the founder

of "a great nation," yet had to wait 25 years before his promised son was

born. (See Gen. 12:1-4; 21:5.) He could not then foresee the centuries that

would lapse before his descendants would become even a small nation.

They would first have to move into pagan Egypt, prosper, and then be

enslaved by a pharaoh who did not know Joseph, to say nothing of Abra-

ham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then came the first 80 years of Moses' life before

deliverance by the Exodus, with 40 more years of wilderness wandering

before his people possessed the land that had been promised to Abraham.

As we review the subsequent checkered history of the chosen people,

we see a host of them exiled in Babylon for 70 years. Just a few returned

from Persia to Judea with Ezra. There was further waiting until Nehe-

miah led his countrymen back to Jerusalem from Persia. And, over-

shadowing all, we see the 4000-year wait from Eden to Bethlehem for the

Messiah.

By bearing in mind such waiting we shall better understand our Lord's

"longsuffering," and be conscious of our need for patience as we wait for

DAY

His return. We may conclude then that what God foresees to be best He

will fulfill, and that He longs for His Son's return to occur to put an end to

sin and to usher in everlasting righteousness (Dan. 9:24). "The promise,"

rather than "his promise," clearly refers back to verse 4 where the doubt-

ers ask, "Where is the promise of his coming?" Peter covers their argu-

ments conscientiously and makes a reasoned approach to their skepti-

cism.

After defending the Eternal against the charge of delay, the apostle then

turns to a positive evaluation of the divine character. He introduces his

appraisal with a strong word for "but" which suggests "on the other

hand," or "to the contrary," utterly repudiating any idea of God being lax

in His dealings with humanity. He then uses one of the Bible's great

words—"longsuffering," a composite term that originally linked the

thought "of long duration" with "the soul" or "passion." It then came to

signify "great in patience," or "longsuffering."

DAY

SEARCH AND LEARN: In the texts listed below discover how prominently

the quality of long-suffering figures in the listings of our Maker's attributes:

Ex. 34:6



Ps. 86:15

Num. 14:18



Rom. 9:20-24

The usage of this term in Second Peter brings Christians face to face

with the Lord's long-suffering toward themselves. In this way Peter not

only answered the mockers but brought reassurance to the faithful. And

his words still can do the same for us. We should never forget: "It is of the

Lord's mercies that we are not consumed" (Lam. 3:22).

The most dastardly lie in the universe is that God is indifferent to His

creations's welfare. He is "not willing," that is, He does not even wish

"that any should perish." "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no plea-

sure in the death of the wicked" (Eze. 33:11). This saving desire on God's

part does not refer just to the first or physical death, although that also

must be included because death is repellent to Him who is Life. The more

significant reference is to the "second death," for the word translated

"perish" refers to utter destruction.

What is the Creator's will for all who live on earth? 2 Peter 3:9.

For the second time in this sentence the emphatic "but" is used to

show the strong contrast between the preceding clause with its "perish"

and the following clause with its emphasis on repentance and salvation.

He who made man and woman in the beginning does not want any of His

creatures to be lost. He wants all to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4). Those who

have turned from Him He invites to turn again and find pardon and salva-

tion (Lam. 3:31-33; Eze. 18:32; Micah 7:18, 19). If the Lord had His way,

all would repent and be saved. But because the human race has the privi-

lege and the weighty responsibility of free exercise of the will, unnum-

bered multitudes choose the way of death instead of the path of life.

The insights contained in 2 Peter 3:9 throw light on many moral issues

that perplex earnest Christians. This text also contributes to our under-

standing of divine justice. How can a loving God allow His creatures to

be lost? God wants all human beings to be saved and is exceedingly pa-

tient in giving them time for repentance and for returning to Him in con-

trition. Such considerations make this verse worthy of memorization and

deep meditation. It will richly repay any effort expended upon it. When

embedded in the mind it can illumine many a troublesome question and

enable us to keep a balanced picture of the Father of mercies whom we

serve and in whom we believe.

COMPARE 2 Peter 3:9 with Paul's paean of praise in Romans 11:33-36.

Notice how doing so provides us with an inspiring revelation of the mind of

Him with whom we have to do.

cal questions to good account. It has used the destructive doubts of the

scoffers as opportunities for teaching men and women essential truths

about God (3:8, 9). This provides an illustration of how the word causes

even the wrath of men to praise Him.

On which prominent aspect of his Master's return does Peter now focus

his readers' attention, and why does he give it this emphasis? 2 Peter 3:10.

There can be no reasonable doubt as to the events on which the apos-

tle's mind is set. "The day of the Lord" is a widely used scriptural term

that enshrines all that God's people expect at the consummation of all

things. It covers a wide range of expectations and does not merely refer

to a 24-hour day but rather to that space of time in which God will accom-

plish all that is needed to inaugurate sinless eternity. (See Isa. 13:6; Joel

1:15; 2:1, 31; Zeph. 1:14; Mal. 4:1.) In our study of this passage of Scrip-

ture there is little room for doubt about the identity of "the day of the

Lord," for Peter clearly refers to words from his Lord's own lips as Jesus

foretold conditions that will herald His return. The Gospels give promi-

nence to the Saviour's emphasis on the unexpectedness of His appearing.

(See Matt. 24:42-44; Mark 13:33-37; Luke 12:34-37; 21:34-36.) Jesus

stated that His arrival will be as unexpected as a thief's entry into an

unsuspecting household. It therefore seems most appropriate that His

disciple should phrase his warning in similar terms, "as a thief."

In the passage we are studying (3:10) the word for "will come" is

placed first in the sentence in the original Greek, emphasizing that the

Saviour will return in spite of all that false teachers might declare. No-

where does the writer try to set a time for his Lord's advent.

NOTE:

It probably was Peter who informed Mark of the Master's teaching

concerning the time of His return. Read Mark 13:32.

DAY III. GOD AND THE FUTURE (2 Peter 3:10).

Peter's second epistle has been turning false teaching and even skepti-

DAY

But the personal message is the same as when Jesus instructed the dis-

ciples, "Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of

man cometh" (Matt. 24:44). If only we knew

when

our Lord would re-

turn, how well prepared we would be! But the Saviour knew that long

years of waiting lay ahead and that human nature would put off prepara-

tory work until it would be too late. Then, the unprepared would be taken

unawares and be lost at His coming. Therefore He says, "Be ye also

ready."

What dramatic cosmic events does Peter foresee as accompanying the

sec-

ond

advent? 2 Peter 3:10.

The apostle is not hewing his own path into the unseen future. He is

rather summarizing, in apocalyptic language, what other prophets, in-

cluding Jesus, had firmly foretold.

SEARCH AND LEARN: Some of the prophecies Peter most likely was sum-

marizing follow. Read as many from the following list as you can:

Ps. 50:3



Isa. 64:1-4



2 Thess. 1:6-10

Ps. 97:5, 6



Isa. 66:15, 16



Jude 14

Isa. 13:9-13



Matt. 24:30, 31



Rev. 6:12-17

Isa. 34:4



Luke 21:25-27

These revelations are based upon the nature of divinity—its purity,

glory, and power. We need to stamp upon our minds the awe-inspiring

glimpses of the Godhead that are unveiled in such texts as Daniel 7:9, 10;

Habakkuk 3:3-6; and Hebrews 12:29. When this is done, we will be able

to conceive more fully the burning radiance that will fill every corner of

the universe as the Son of man comes "with power and great glory."

As our twentieth century draws to its close, it is not unnatural for us to

read into the remainder of verse 10 a reference to nuclear destruction. Of

course, Peter had no inkling of such. He here endeavors to convey the

awe-inspiring majesty of "the day of the Lord." Fulfillment of the scrip-

tures listed in the preceding "Search and Learn" exercise is sufficient to

account for the convulsions that will accompany the appearing of the

King of kings and Lord of lords, and the apostle simply uses the most

vivid words at his command to portray that "grand and awful time."

The Greek word translated "with a great noise" occurs only here in the

New Testament and may well refer to the crackle and roar of flames, in

which case it is linked to verse 7 where Peter states that "the heavens and

the earth . . . are . . . reserved unto fire against the day of judgment."

The meaning of the word translated "elements" is not clear. Probably

"Peter here speaks of the physical elements of which our world is com-

posed, matter that will 'melt' under the cleansing fires of the last day."—

S.D.A.

Bible Commentary vol.

7, p. 616.

The final clause of verse 10, "the earth . . . burned up," may be trans-

lated in several ways, due to some uncertainty about the original reading.

An acceptable alternative reads, "the earth with all that is in it will be laid

bare" (NEB). The end result is the same—devastation and the prepara-

tion of the way for "new heavens and a new earth" (verse 13).

DAY FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

God and time.

Peter replies to "Where is the promise of his coming?"

with the law of contrast. "In effect he says that we must never confuse

time with eternity, the time of man with the time of God. God sees time

quite differently from man. Man's outlook is limited. With God there is no

`long' or 'short' time. With Him

a thousand years are as one day.

The real

things are not measured by time; God's holy purposes do not follow a

time schedule. Relativity is now a commonly accepted concept. A suf-

ferer finds time long on his hands; a lover finds time short. [An apparent]

delay on God's part in the fulfilling of his purposes must not be regarded

as unconcern for its fulfillment (vs.

9)."—The Interpreter's Bible

(New

York: Abingdon Press, 1957), vol. 12, p. 198.

God's infinity.

"Man has but a short time to live, and if he does not

accomplish his purposes in a very brief period, he never will. But it is not

so with God. He always lives; and we cannot therefore infer, because the

execution of his purposes seems to be delayed, that they are abandoned.

With him who always lives it will be as easy to accomplish them in a far

distant period as now. If it is his pleasure to accomplish them in a single

day, he can do it; if he chooses that the execution shall be deferred to a

thousand years, or that a thousand years shall be consumed in executing

them, he has power to carry them onward through what seems to us to be

so vast a duration. The wicked, therefore, cannot infer that they will es-

cape because their punishment is delayed: nor should the righteous fear

that the Divine promises will fail because ages pass away before they are

accomplished."—Albert Barnes,

Notes on the New Testament. vol.

10,

p. 259.